Question 2: History
You then decide to go on and take a history as part of your initial assessment
Correct Answers:
- Site: where is the back pain?
- Onset: did it come on suddenly or gradually?
- Character: what type of pain is it, is it continuous or intermittent?
- Radiation: does it spread anywhere
- Associated symptoms: are there any other symptoms that seem associated? (e.g. weakness / numbness / saddle anaesthesia / urinary or faecal incontinence? / weight loss? / fevers? / sweats?
- Timing: when did it start?
- Exacerbating / relieving factors: Does anything make it better or worse? Is it worse when you walk, sit down or lay flat?
- Severity: on a scale of 1-10 how bad is the pain, has it got better or worse?
SOCRATES
