Cervicothoracic Flashcards
Red flag screening
- fatigue
- fever/chill/night sweats
- unexplained weight change
- nausea/vomiting
- dizziness/light headedness
- change in mentation
Osteomyelitis risk factors
- diabetes
- hx of intravenous drug use
- recent surgery
- recent pneumonia
- immunosuppressive disorders
- unrelenting pain
- fevers/chills
- inflammatory signs
Cancer risk factors
- age>50
- hx of cancer (GREATEST PREDICTOR)
- unexplained weight loss
- no improvement > 1 month
**If no factors present sn=100%
Meningitis sx
Risk Factors:
- hx of recent infection
- hx of skull fracture
S/S
- fever
- pain on slump testing
- headache
- GI symptoms
- confusion
- seizures
- sleepiness
- photophobia
*If fever, neck stiffness, altered mental status ALL negative -can rule out Sn 99-100%
Pancoast’s Tumor - what is it?
- malignant tumor in apex of lung
* commonly misdiagnosed as cervical discogenic pain, TOS or shoulder issue
Pancoast’s tumor - s/s/risk factors
- men > 50 w/ hx of smoking
- shoulder and scapular nagging pain extending into ulnar distribution
- hand atrophy
- pulmonary symptoms
- neck and shoulder symptoms fail to improve in several treatments and risk factors are present = refer to MD
- often pressures c8-T1 nerve roots
Cervical myelopathy s/s
- gait deviation
- (+) Hoffman’s test
- (+) inverted uspinator sign
- (+) Babinski
LR increases w/ increasing positive tests
Hoffman’s test
How to perform: Grasp the patient’s middle phalanx of 3rd digit at distal end with your 2nd and 3rd distal phalanges. Flick the patient’s distal phalanx into flexion using your thumb.
Positive test: Adduction of thumb and/or flexion of fingers
Inverted supinator sign
How to perform: Using reflex hammer, strike the brachioradialis tendon near radial styloid process at distal end of radius (C6 DTR).
Positive test: Finger flexion
Upper cervical instability s/s
- occipital HA
- severe AROM limitations
- signs of myelopathy
Upper cervical instability risk factors
- hx of trauma
- RA
- down syndrome
- Os odontoideum
Upper cervical instability clinical tests
- sharp purser (sn. 88, sp. 96) - DECREASES symptoms
- transverse ligament test (provocative)
- alar ligament test
CAD risk factors
- past hx of cervical trauma
- hx of migraine-type HA
- hyperlipidemia
- cardiac/vascular disease
- previous CVA or TIA
- diabetes
- trivial head/neck trauma
- clotting disorders
- anticoagulant therapy
- long term steroid use
- recent infection
- immediately post partum
Canadian c-spine rules
- High risk factors that mandate radiography
- Low risk factors which allow safe ROM assessment
- Able to rotate
Canadian c-spine rules - high risk factors mandating radiography
1. Age >/= 65 yo OR 2. Dangerous mechanism (fall from elevation <3ft or 5 stairs, axial load to head, MVC high speed (>100km/hr), rollover, ejection, motorized recreational vehicles, bicycle struck or collision) OR 3. Paresthesias in extremities
Canadian c-spine rules - low risk factors that allow safe assessment of ROM
1. simple rear end MVC (pushed into oncoming traffic, hit by bus/large truck, rollover, hit by high speed vehicle) OR 2. sitting position in E.D. OR 3. Ambulatory at any time OR 4. Delayed onset of neck pain OR 5. Absence of midline c-spine tenderness
Canadian c-spine - neck mobility
Must be able to actively rotate 45* (L) and (R) for NO radiograph
Canadian c-spine rules DO NOT APPLY IF…
- non trauma case
- Glasgow coma scale <15
- unstable vital signs
- age < 16 years
- acute paralysis
- known vertebral disease
- previous c-spine surgery
- pregnant
Cervical manipulation and mobilization
Clinicians should consider using thrust and non-thrust to reduce neck pain and headache.
*combining these with exercise is MORE effective than using alone (STRONG EVIDENCE)
6 predictors for immediate improvement (of pain, satisfaction, or perception of condition) following c-spine thrust (Tseng et al)
- intial NDI scores less than 11.5 (23%)
- bilateral involvement
- NOT performing sedentary work >5 hours/day
- feeling better while moving neck
- do not feel worse with neck extension
- diagnosis of spondylosis w/o radiculopathy
Presence of 4 or more increase probability from 60 to 89%
HVLAT vs. Laser for cervicogenic headaches (Nilsson et al)
HVLAT reduced analgesic use by 36%, unchanged in other groups
Spinal mob and manip for chronic neck pain and headaches (Vernon et al.)
Moderate to high quality evidence suggests clinically important improvements from spinal mob/manip at 6, 12, 104 weeks post treatment
Cochrane review of cervical manip and mob
manip and mob produced similar effects - low quality evidence to support cervical manip over mob
CPR - thoracic spine manipulation for neck pain
- symptom duration <30 days
- no symptoms distal to shoulder
- looking up does not aggravate
- FABQPA < 12
- diminished upper thoracic spine kyphosis
- cervical ext <30*
(+) LR 3 or more present = 5.5
- LOOK UP PERCENTAGES*
- validation study failed because all groups improved!
CPR - traction
- age >/= 55
- (+) shoulder abduction test
- (+) ULTTA
- (+) symptom peripheralization with central PA at lower c-spine (c4-7)
- (+) neck distraction
*study still needs validation
CPR for Cervical radic treatment
- <54 years old
- dominant arm not affected
- looking down does not worsen symptoms
- receives multimodal treatments at least 50% of visits
ALL = 90%
3= 85%
2= 62%
1=55%
Outcome tools for neck pain
NDI and Patient specific functional scale - level I evidence
Cervical mobilization and manipulation - neck pain CPG recommendation
Level I and II evidence supports use.
Clinicians should consider utilization cervical manip and mobilization procedures, thrust and non-thrust, to reduce neck pain/headache. Level A
Thoracic mobilization/manip - neck pain CPG
Thoracic spine thrust manip can be used for patients with primary c/o neck pain. Level C
Stretching - neck pain CPG
- flexibility exercises can be used for patients with neck symptoms. Level C
Coordination and strengthening - neck pain CPG
Clinicians should consider the use of coordination, strengthening, and endurance exercises to reduce neck pain and headache - level A.
Centralization - neck pain CPG
Specific repeated movements are NOT more beneficial in reducing disability when compared to other forms of intervention. Level C
Nerve mobilization - neck pain CPG
Clinicians should consider the use of upper quarter and nerve mobilization procedures to reduce pain and disability. Level B
Traction - neck pain CPG
Clinicians should consider use of intermittent cervical traction, combined with other interventions, for reducing pain/disability. Level B
Patient Ed. - neck pain CPG
To improve recovery in pateints with WAD - clinicians should education patient that early return to normal and non-provocative activities is important and provide reassurance of good prognosis. Level A.
CPG Level of Evidence (I-V)
I - Evidence obtained from high quality RCTs, prospective or diagnostic studies
II - evidence obtained from lesser quality RCTs, prospective studies, or diagnostic studies (improper randomization, no blinding, <80% follow up)
III - case controlled studies or retrospective studies
IV - case series
V - expert opinion
CPG Grades of Recommendation (A-F)
A - strong evidence B - moderate evidence C - weak evidence D - conflicting evidence E - theoretical/foundational evidence F - expert opinion
C-spine bony anatomy
- 7 cervical vertebrae
- Upper cervical (CO-1, C1-2) and lower cervical (C3-7)
- foramen in C1-7 tranasverse process = passage of vertebral artery through foramen magnum
C1
Atlas
- lacks vertebral body and SPs
- cervical flex/ext
C2
Axis
- elongated superior projection = dens
- rotation
- C1/2 = up to 1/2 of normal ROM of cervical spine occurs here
Alar ligament
- attaches to the dens and occipital condyles of cranium
- important to keep dens in close approximation of C1
Transverse ligament
- covers the dens
- attaches horizontally to C1
- also connects with longitudinal ligament creating cruciform ligament
- important to keep dens in close approximation to C1
Lower cervical spine
- articulation of facet (zygapophyseal) joints and body of vertebrae
- (B) uncovertebral joints
- potential degenerative area
Ligamentum nuchae
- expansive ligament that extends from SP of C7 to the external occipital protruberance
- increases depth of cervical SPs allowing for muscular attachment
- limits cervical flexion
Rectus capitus posterior major
Attachments: SP of axis (c2) and lateral part of inferior neuchal line of occipital bone(C0)
Action: extension and rotation of head to same side
Rectus capitis posterior minor
Attachments: posterior tubercle of atlas (c1) and occipital bone at medial portion fo inferior nuchal line.
Action: extend head at C0-1 joint
Obliquis capitis inferior
Attachments: C2 SP to C1 TP
Action: rotate skull around odontoid process to same side
Obliquus capitis superior
Attachment: TP of C1 and occipital bone between inferior and superior nuchal lines
Action: extension and lateral flexion of head to same side
Rectus capitis anterior
Attachment: lateral mass of C1 and root of TP of C1 at base of occipital bone in front of foramen magnum
Action: flexes head at CO-1 articulation
Rectus capitis lateralis
Attachment: TP of C1 to occipital bone
Action: lateral flexion of head to same side
SCM
Attachments: anterior surface of manubrium and upper surface of medial 1/3 of clavicle to lateral surface of mastoid process and lateral 1/2 of superior nuchal line on occipital bone
Actions:
- unilateral: head towards shoulder and rotates chin to the opposite side
- bilateral: extends head moving it into a forward neck position
*can assist in respiration when the head is fixed
Longis capitis
Attachments: TP of C3-C6 and inferior surface of basilar portion of occipital bone
Action: flex and assist in rotation of cervical vertebrae and head to same side
Longus colli
Attachment: bodies and TPs of T3-C3.
Divided into inferior oblique, vertical intermediate, superior oblique.
Action: flex and assist in rotating the cervical vertebrae and head
Anterior scalene
Attachment: TP of C3-C6 and ridge on surface of 1st rib.
Action:
- neck fixed - action is to elevate 1st rib
- rib fixed - laterall flex neck to same side and rotate to opposite side.
Middle scalene
Attachment: TPs of C2-C7 and upper surface of 1st rib.
Action = same as anterior scalene
Posterior scalene
Attachment: TP of C4-C6 and 2nd rib.
- neck fixed - elevate 2nd rib
- rib fixed - lateral flexion to same side
Splenius capitis
Attachment: ligamentum nuchae, SPs of C7-T3, lateral superior nuchal line and mastoid process.
Actions:
(B) w/ splenius capitis = extending cervical spine
Unilateral -laterally flex and rotate head to same side
Splenius Cervicis
Attachments: SPs of T3-6, TPs of C1-3.
Actions:
(B) w/ splenius capitis = extending cervical spine
Unilateral -laterally flex and rotate head to same side