Back pain differential diagnosis: Difference between revisions

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! rowspan="3" style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Classification of pain in the back based on etiology
! rowspan="3" style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Classification of pain in the back based on etiology
! rowspan="3" style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Diease
! rowspan="3" style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Diease
! colspan="16" style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Clinical Manifestation
! colspan="17" style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Clinical Manifestation
! colspan="2" style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Diagnosis
! colspan="2" style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Diagnosis
! rowspan="3" style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Comments
! rowspan="3" style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Comments
|-
|-
! colspan="10" style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Symptoms
! colspan="11" style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Symptoms
! colspan="6" style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Signs
! colspan="6" style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Signs
! rowspan="2" style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Lab findings
! rowspan="2" style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Lab findings
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! style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Duration
! style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Duration
! style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Quality of pain  
! style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Quality of pain  
!Radiation
! style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Stiffness
! style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Stiffness
! style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Fever
! style="background:#4479BA; color: #FFFFFF;" align="center" |Fever
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|Minutes to hours
|Minutes to hours
|Sharp and knife-like, also tearing or ripping  
|Sharp and knife-like, also tearing or ripping  
|
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![[Spinal stenosis]]
![[Spinal stenosis]]
|Chronic
|Chronic
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![[Spondylosis]]
![[Spondylosis]]
|Chronic
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![[Compression fracture|Vertebral compression fracture]]
![[Compression fracture|Vertebral compression fracture]]
|Acute  
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![[Vertebral osteomyelitis]]
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![[Appendicitis]]
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![[Endocarditis]]
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![[Cystitis]]  
![[Cystitis]]  
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![[Myalgia]]
![[Myalgia]]
|Chronic
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![[Kidney stone|Nephrolithiasis]]
![[Kidney stone|Nephrolithiasis]]
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|Acute or chronic
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|Variable
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![[Pyelonephritis]]
![[Pyelonephritis]]
|Acute or chronic
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![[Pelvic inflammatory disease]]
![[Pelvic inflammatory disease]]
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![[Pyomyositis]]
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![[Ewing's sarcoma]]
![[Ewing's sarcoma]]
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![[Langerhans cell histiocytosis]] (eosinophilic granulomas)
![[Langerhans cell histiocytosis]] (eosinophilic granulomas)
|Chronic
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![[Muscle spasm]]
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!Pyriformis syndrome
!Pyriformis syndrome
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![[Syringomyelia]]
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![[Ureteropelvic junction obstruction]]
![[Ureteropelvic junction obstruction]]
|Acute
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Revision as of 15:28, 28 March 2018

Back pain Microchapters

Home

Patient Information

Overview

Historical Perspective

Classification

Pathophysiology

Causes

Differentiating Back Pain from other Diseases

Epidemiology and Demographics

Risk Factors

Screening

Natural History, Complications and Prognosis

Diagnosis

Diagnostic Study of Choice

History and Symptoms

Physical Examination

Laboratory Findings

Electrocardiogram

X Ray

Echocardiography and Ultrasound

CT

MRI

Other Imaging Findings

Other Diagnostic Studies

Treatment

Medical Therapy

Surgery

Non-Medical Therapy

Primary Prevention

Secondary Prevention

Cost-Effectiveness of Therapy

Future or Investigational Therapies

Lecture

Back Pain

Case Studies

Case #1

Back pain differential diagnosis On the Web

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Risk calculators and risk factors for Back pain differential diagnosis

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1];Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Hadeel Maksoud M.D.[2]


An expert algorithm to assist in the diagnosis of back pain can be found here

Overview

There are several life-threatening causes of back pain which need to be evaluated for first, which include; spinal cord or cauda equina compression, aortic dissection, aortic aneurysm, vertebral osteomyelitis, epidural abscess, and metastatic cancer. The other possible causes of back pain can be evaluated for by carefully assessing the nature of the pain, and obtaining a thorough patient history.

Differential Diagnosis

Life Threatening Causes

Life threatening diseases to exclude immediately include:[1][2][3][4][2][3][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][20][21][22]

Common Causes

Differential Diagnosis of Back Pain

Classification of pain in the back based on etiology Diease Clinical Manifestation Diagnosis Comments
Symptoms Signs Lab findings Imaging
Onset Duration Quality of pain Radiation Stiffness Fever Rigors and chills Headache Nausea and vomiting Syncopy Weight loss Motor weakness Sensory deficit Pulse Deficit Heart Murmur Bowel or bladder dysfunction Horner's syndrome
Vascular Aortic dissection Severe and sudden (acute) and rarely, chronic Minutes to hours Sharp and knife-like, also tearing or ripping - - - - - +/- - - - + +/- - - Elevations in:
  • D - dimer
  • Smooth muscle myosin heavy chain
  • Soluble ST2
  • Soluble elastin fragments
  • High -sensitivity C-reactive protein
  • Fibrinogen
  • Fibrillin fragments
ECG:
  • Normal
  • Non - specific ST wave changes
  • Hypertrophy patterns
  • ST segment elevation indicating myocardial infarction

Chest radiography:

  • Normal
  • Mediastinal or aortic widening
  • Increased risk of occurence with Marfan syndrome
Aortic aneurysm

rupture - Abdominal aortic aneurysm

- Thoracic aortic aneurysm

Acute Minutes to hours
Chronic stable angina Chronic Variable
Pulmonary embolism Acute Minutes to hours
Traumatic aortic rupture Acute Minutes to hours
Retroperitoneal hematoma Acute or subacute Minutes to hours
Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome Acute Minutes to hours
Neurological Arachnoiditis Acute Hours
Cauda equina syndrome Acute Hours
Epidural abscess Acute Variable
Radiculopathy Acute Variable
Sciatica Acute Minutes to hours
Spinal cord compression

- Thoracic spine

- Lumbar spine

Acute Minutes to hours
Bone Ankylosing spondylitis Subacute or chronic Years
Bertolotti's syndrome (Lumbosacral transitional vertebrae) Chronic Years
Chronic recurrent focal osteomyelitis Chronic Years
Cervical fracture Acute Minutes to hours
Degenerative disc disease Subacute or chronic Years
Disc herniation Acute Minutes to hours
Discitis Chronic Years
Hyperkyphosis Chronic Years
Osteoarthritis Chronic Years
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction Chronic Years
Sacroilitis Acute or chronic Variable
Scheuermann (juvenile) kyphosis Chronic Years
Scoliosis Chronic Years
Spinal stenosis Chronic
Spondylosis Chronic
Vertebral compression fracture Acute
Vertebral osteomyelitis Chronic
Non-spinal infections Appendicitis Acute
Endocarditis Acute or subacute
Cholelithiasis Acute or subacute Minutes or hours
Cystitis Acute
Myalgia Chronic
Nephrolithiasis Acute
Pancreatitis Acute or chronic Variable
Pyelonephritis Acute or chronic
Pelvic inflammatory disease Acute or chronic
Pneumonia Acute or chronic Variable
Pyomyositis Acute or chronic
Rheumatoid arthritis Chronic Years
Tumors Ewing's sarcoma Chronic
Langerhans cell histiocytosis (eosinophilic granulomas) Chronic
Leukemia Acute or chronic
Lymphoma Chronic
Neurofibroma Chronic
Osteoblastoma Chronic
Osteoid osteoma Chronic
Osteosarcoma Chronic
Prostate cancer Chronic
Muscle-related Abnormal posturing Chronic
Muscle spasm Acute
Pyriformis syndrome Chronic
Miscellaneous Chronic fatigue syndrome Chronic
Depression Chronic
Herpes zoster Acute or chronic Variable
Pregnancy Chronic
Premenstrual syndrome Acute
Sickle cell anemia Acute or chronic
Syringomyelia Chronic
Trauma Acute or chronic
Ureteropelvic junction obstruction Acute

References

  1. Chou R, Qaseem A, Owens DK, Shekelle P (February 2011). "Diagnostic imaging for low back pain: advice for high-value health care from the American College of Physicians". Ann. Intern. Med. 154 (3): 181–9. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-154-3-201102010-00008. PMID 21282698.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Schiff D, O'Neill BP, Suman VJ (August 1997). "Spinal epidural metastasis as the initial manifestation of malignancy: clinical features and diagnostic approach". Neurology. 49 (2): 452–6. PMID 9270576.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Deyo RA, Diehl AK (1988). "Cancer as a cause of back pain: frequency, clinical presentation, and diagnostic strategies". J Gen Intern Med. 3 (3): 230–8. PMID 2967893.
  4. Sun JC, Xu T, Chen KF, Qian W, Liu K, Shi JG, Yuan W, Jia LS (April 2014). "Assessment of cauda equina syndrome progression pattern to improve diagnosis". Spine. 39 (7): 596–602. doi:10.1097/BRS.0000000000000079. PMID 24150427.
  5. Jarvik JG, Deyo RA (October 2002). "Diagnostic evaluation of low back pain with emphasis on imaging". Ann. Intern. Med. 137 (7): 586–97. PMID 12353946.
  6. Underwood MR, Dawes P (November 1995). "Inflammatory back pain in primary care". Br. J. Rheumatol. 34 (11): 1074–7. PMID 8542211.
  7. "Acute low back problems in adults: assessment and treatment. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research". Clin Pract Guidel Quick Ref Guide Clin (14): iii–iv, 1–25. December 1994. PMID 7987418.
  8. Ropper AH, Zafonte RD (March 2015). "Sciatica". N. Engl. J. Med. 372 (13): 1240–8. doi:10.1056/NEJMra1410151. PMID 25806916.
  9. Delitto A, Piva SR, Moore CG, Fritz JM, Wisniewski SR, Josbeno DA, Fye M, Welch WC (April 2015). "Surgery versus nonsurgical treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis: a randomized trial". Ann. Intern. Med. 162 (7): 465–73. doi:10.7326/M14-1420. PMID 25844995.
  10. Papadopoulos EC, Khan SN (January 2004). "Piriformis syndrome and low back pain: a new classification and review of the literature". Orthop. Clin. North Am. 35 (1): 65–71. doi:10.1016/S0030-5898(03)00105-6. PMID 15062719.
  11. Hopayian K, Song F, Riera R, Sambandan S (December 2010). "The clinical features of the piriformis syndrome: a systematic review". Eur Spine J. 19 (12): 2095–109. doi:10.1007/s00586-010-1504-9. PMC 2997212. PMID 20596735.
  12. Potter NA, Rothstein JM (November 1985). "Intertester reliability for selected clinical tests of the sacroiliac joint". Phys Ther. 65 (11): 1671–5. PMID 2932746.
  13. Russel AS, Maksymowych W, LeClercq S (December 1981). "Clinical examination of the sacroiliac joints: a prospective study". Arthritis Rheum. 24 (12): 1575–7. PMID 7326071.
  14. Levangie PK (November 1999). "Four clinical tests of sacroiliac joint dysfunction: the association of test results with innominate torsion among patients with and without low back pain". Phys Ther. 79 (11): 1043–57. PMID 10534797.
  15. Riddle DL, Freburger JK (August 2002). "Evaluation of the presence of sacroiliac joint region dysfunction using a combination of tests: a multicenter intertester reliability study". Phys Ther. 82 (8): 772–81. PMID 12147007.
  16. Irwin RW, Watson T, Minick RP, Ambrosius WT (January 2007). "Age, body mass index, and gender differences in sacroiliac joint pathology". Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 86 (1): 37–44. PMID 17304687.
  17. Jancuska JM, Spivak JM, Bendo JA (2015). "A Review of Symptomatic Lumbosacral Transitional Vertebrae: Bertolotti's Syndrome". Int J Spine Surg. 9: 42. doi:10.14444/2042. PMC 4603258. PMID 26484005.
  18. Suzuki T, Distante A, Eagle K (November 2010). "Biomarker-assisted diagnosis of acute aortic dissection: how far we have come and what to expect". Curr. Opin. Cardiol. 25 (6): 541–5. doi:10.1097/HCO.0b013e32833e6e13. PMID 20717014.
  19. Wang Y, Tan X, Gao H, Yuan H, Hu R, Jia L, Zhu J, Sun L, Zhang H, Huang L, Zhao D, Gao P, Du J (January 2018). "Magnitude of Soluble ST2 as a Novel Biomarker for Acute Aortic Dissection". Circulation. 137 (3): 259–269. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.030469. PMID 29146682.
  20. 20.0 20.1 Akutsu K, Yamanaka H, Katayama M, Yamamoto T, Takayama M, Osaka M, Sato N, Shimizu W (November 2016). "Usefulness of Measuring the Serum Elastin Fragment Level in the Diagnosis of an Acute Aortic Dissection". Am. J. Cardiol. 118 (9): 1405–1409. doi:10.1016/j.amjcard.2016.07.052. PMID 27666178.
  21. Suzuki T, Katoh H, Tsuchio Y, Hasegawa A, Kurabayashi M, Ohira A, Hiramori K, Sakomura Y, Kasanuki H, Hori S, Aikawa N, Abe S, Tei C, Nakagawa Y, Nobuyoshi M, Misu K, Sumiyoshi T, Nagai R (October 2000). "Diagnostic implications of elevated levels of smooth-muscle myosin heavy-chain protein in acute aortic dissection. The smooth muscle myosin heavy chain study". Ann. Intern. Med. 133 (7): 537–41. PMID 11015167.
  22. Marshall LM, Carlson EJ, O'Malley J, Snyder CK, Charbonneau NL, Hayflick SJ, Coselli JS, Lemaire SA, Sakai LY (October 2013). "Thoracic aortic aneurysm frequency and dissection are associated with fibrillin-1 fragment concentrations in circulation". Circ. Res. 113 (10): 1159–68. doi:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.113.301498. PMID 24036495.


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