GO STRAIGHT TO HOSPITAL, DO NOT PASS GO..

Have you ever been asked a question by a physio or doctor that you thought was a bit weird?! 

Our extensive training in assessment and diagnosis has taught us to listen out for 'red flags' - little bits of information that make us suspicious that something more serious is occurring. These 'red flags' alert good clinicians to ask a few extra questions, to hopefully rule out whatever we are worried about. But sometimes it leads us to make a discovery requiring urgent attention..

Always answer medical questions honestly - I can promise you we'll have heard it before, and you never need to be embarrassed. We're here to help!

Physio Amber tells why she might ask her back pain patients some seemingly unrelated questions.

It is actually quite unusual for physio's to even send patients with low back pain for scans - and certainly not urgently!

Research shows that more than 90% of all back pain doesn't need imaging - with a thorough assessment, we can work out what is happening, without wasting your time & money on scans.

So what is Cauda Equina Syndrome?

Very rarely, the spinal cord can become compressed in your lower back. In addition to back pain & leg weakness, these patients experience numbness around their genitals, loss of bladder / bowel control and changes in sexual function.

So it might seem unrelated, & you may not think to tell us, but a good clinician will always ask these essential questions to get the scan, & urgent surgery, you may need.

When these patients are not seen immediately, the compression on the nerve to the bladder and bowel may be permanent. Usually, these patients will go straight to hospital from the clinic, with a letter from their physio explaining our concerns to the triage nurse in ED. They'll have urgent imaging and will be operated on as soon as possible, giving them every chance to recover and save the nerve function.

What's my take home message?

Have your pain and injury assessed by a primary care practitioner - a GP or a Physio can thoroughly assess you, ask all the necessary questions and determine the right course of action for you.

Which in the case of regular back pain: we usually help keep you moving, and it will resolve in just 4-6wks!