Cervical Spinal Syndromes Flashcards
What is the classification approach based on?
Evidence when possible and experience/clinical expertise when evidence is not sufficient or not yet available
If a patient has recent onset of symptoms, no radicular symptoms in the upper quarter, restricted side to side ROM and no signs of nerve root compression which classification do they fit into?
What would the proposed interventions be for this classification?
Mobility
cervical/thoracic spine mobilization/manipulation and AROM exercises
If a patient has radicular/referred pain in the upper quarter, their symptoms either peripheralize or centralize with movement, they do have signs of nerve compression, and may have diagnosis of cervical radiculopathy, which classification do they fit into?
What is the proposed intervention?
Centralization
mechanical/manual cervical traction and repeated movements to centralize symptoms
If a patient has low pain and disability scores, their symptoms last a long time, there are no signs of nerve compression, and there is no centralization/peripheralization which classification do they fit into?
What are the proposed interventions?
Conditioning and increase exercise tolerance
Strength and endurance exercise for cervical spine muscles as well as aerobic training
If a patient has high pain and disability test scores, very recent onset of symptoms, symptoms caused by trauma, referred pain or radiating symptoms to upper quarter and has poor tolerance for examination or most interventions which classification do they fit into?
What are the proposed interventions?
Pain control
gentle AROM within pain tolerance, ROM exercises for adjacent regions, modalities as needed, and activity modification to control pain
If a patient presents with a unilateral headache with onset preceded by neck pain, headache pain triggered by neck movement or positions or headache pain elicited by pressure on posterior neck which classification do they fit into?
What are the proposed interventions?
Reduce headache
cervical spine manipulations/mobilization, neck and upper quarter muscular strengthening, and postural education
What is the formula for clinically evaluating patients complaining of pain or dysfunction of the neck, head, shoulder, or upper extremity?
A-know normal and be able to recognize deviation from the norm
B-be able to reproduce THE pain by reproducing the abnormal position or movement
C-understand the mechanism by which THE pain is caused
True or False: Bone is the most common pain origination site in the upper C spine.
False, soft tissue causes the majority of symptoms
What are the common sites of muscular pain from tension in the C spine?
base of skull which is the attachment site for the upper trapezius muscles and suboccipitals but may occur within muscle belly from either acute or sustained contractions
Which type of contraction leads to “ischemic” muscular pain and why?
Which type of contraction can lead to increased internal pressure leading to inflammation and “myositis”?
Sustained contractions due to loss of oxygen as well as accumulated irritating metabolites
Acute muscle contraction
True or False: Pain from the IVD is commonly distributed in broad areas with ill-defined margins
True
What five structures can cause pain from within the vertebral canal in the upper C spine?
-Vertebral artery within Transverse foramen
What are 3 common syndromes of the upper C spine?
Cervical headaches
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Acute Wry neck/joint locking
What are the 3 parts of the spinal nucleus of the trigeminal nerve?
Pars oralis
Pars interpolaris
pars caudalis
True or False: the trigeminocervical nucleus does not transmit nociceptive information and so it cannot be a pain generator for the head or neck
False, the trigeminocervical nucleus primarily is involved in transmission of nociceptive information, therefor it can be seen as the pain center for the entire head and upper neck
True or False: While pathology and cause of trigger points is poorly understood, their capacity to produce referred pain into the head is well documented
True