Exposing Spinal Pain Imposters: Differential Diagnosis Spine

Explore the differential diagnosis of the spine, identify four red flags for the spine and shoulder girdle, and name two clinical prediction rules plus a nervous system test.

Learn cervical spine evaluation through mandatory questions that screen for serious pathologies, including vertebral artery insufficiency, inflammatory arthritis, and red flags like night pain, dizziness, and long-track signs.

Explore the international classification of headache disorders, distinguishing primary headaches like migraines and tension headaches from secondary types, and identify red flags for trauma and vascular conditions.

Examine differential diagnoses of upper quadrant diseases, including brain arteriovenous malformation, trigeminal and occipital neuralgia, Bell's and Ramsay Hunt palsies, meningitis, encephalitis, tumors, and spinal infections.

Explore cervical screening tools, including the Canadian C-spine rule and Nexus rule, plus CPRs for radiculopathy, myelopathy, and closed fractures to guide radiology decisions.

Identify dizziness types such as vertigo and BPPV, differentiate them from vascular causes via survival artery testing, and emphasize referral when necessary.

Identify vascular masqueraders in the cervical spine by examining arteries and risk factors, understanding cervical arterial dysfunction, and recognizing red flags for temporal arteritis and vertebral basilar disease.

Explore the 2023 IFOMPT framework for evaluating cervical vascular pathologies, guiding clinical reasoning and shared decision making before cervical mobilization, manipulation, or exercises to identify vascular masqueraders.

Explore the thoracic spine and thorax, identifying musculoskeletal issues, dural tests of neuro meningeal mobility, reliable clinical prediction rules for the spine, and vascular diagnoses linked to thoracic referred pain.

Explore thoracic spine differential diagnosis with mandatory history questions, medication considerations such as anticoagulants, and red flags spanning cardiovascular, neurological, inflammatory, and spinal conditions.

Explore thoracic visceral and vasculogenic causes of referred pain, from gallbladder and peptic ulcers to angina, aortic aneurysm, pulmonary embolism, and lung cancer.

Explore thoracic spine pain and its diverse causes, including multiple myeloma, tuberculosis spondylitis, dish, and spondyloarthropathies, with clinical features and imaging clues for differential diagnosis.

Explore how the 2017 international classification defines ehlers-danlos syndromes as 13 inheritable connective tissue disorders with distinct diagnostic criteria and features like skin hyper extensibility, joint hypermobility, and tissue fragility.

Learn about the 2017 reclassification of Ehlers-Danlos syndromes into 13 inheritable connective tissue disorders, with each type's features and diagnostic criteria, plus common signs like skin hyperextensibility and joint hypermobility.

Explore thoracic spine screening tools, including the Maitland slump test to assess neural tissue mobility in the spinal canal, with higher sensitivity than straight leg raise.

Examine the lumbar spine, pelvis, and hip regions; identify two serious pathologies, three pelvic fracture categories, vascular versus neurogenic claudication, and five screening tests for palace in the side joint.

Examine the lumbar spine, pelvis, and hip with a mnemonic and quick reference charts, covering spinal infection, abdominal aortic aneurysm, multiple myeloma, and fractures.

Explore visceral causes of lumbar and flank pain, including kidney infection and abscess, renal stones, renal tumors, pelvic inflammatory disease, appendicitis, ectopic pregnancy, Crohn's disease, and spinal infections.

Explore vasculogenic causes of lumbar spine pain, from abdominal aortic aneurysm and dissection to peripheral vascular disease and DVT, and differentiate neurogenic from intermittent claudication.

Explain acute neurological compression in the lumbar spine and its emergency management, including incontinence and numbness, and the role of MRI alongside history and examination in diagnosis.

Examine hip and pelvis pathology, including trauma-related dislocations and fractures, pelvic ring injuries, and avascular necrosis risk with six-hour reduction timing, and septic arthritis.

Explore lumbar spine, pelvis, and hip screening tools, including Bodek signs, Kushat test, straight leg raise, femoral slump test, SI joint clusters, and CPRs for compression fracture and stenosis.

A systematic review across five databases identifies diagnostic errors in low back pain assessment. It highlights lumbar spinal stenosis tools, including a self-administered, self-reported history questionnaire and the step tool.