ABSTRACT

This chapter, written for undergraduate medical students and post-graduate doctors in training, presents information on how to manage back pain — a case which they are likely to encounter in the future in a general practice setting. It presents the case of a 55-year-old woman who has had a 1-week history of lower back pain and stiffness. The pain is deep and aching with occasional sharp and stabbing pains and goes into her buttock and down the outside of her right leg and calf to her right foot. The chapter provides details of the patients' medical history and the key findings of clinical examination, together with initial investigation results data for evaluation, and helps them develop their skills of clinical reasoning. Key questions then prompt the student to evaluate the patient, and reach a decision regarding their condition and the possible treatment plan.