CH 3: Red flags for cervical spine and shoulder

Question 1

What condition has red flags for chest pain?

Answer 1

Myocardial infarction

Question 2

What condition has red flags for pallor, sweating, dyspnea, nausea, and palpitations?

Answer 2

Myocardial infarction

Question 3

What condition has red flags for presence of risk factors: previous history of coronary artery disease, hypertension, smoking, diabetes, elevated blood serum cholesterol (>240 mg/dL)?

Answer 3

Myocardial infarction

Question 4

What condition has red flags for men >40 years old, women >50 years old?

Answer 4

Myocardial infarction

Question 5

What condition has red flags for major trauma such as motor vehicle accident or a fall from a height?

Answer 5

Cervical ligamentous instabilities with possible cord compromise

Question 6

What condition has red flags for rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis?

Answer 6

Cervical ligamentous instabilities with possible cord compromise

Question 7

What condition has red flags for oral contraceptive use?

Answer 7

Cervical ligamentous instabilities with possible cord compromise

Question 8

What condition has red flags for long tract neurological signs especially present in more than one extremity, dizziness, nystagmus, vertigo with head/neck movements and positions, clonus, and positive Babinski’s sign?

Answer 8

Cervical ligamentous instabilities with possible cord compromise

Question 9

What condition has red flags for paresthesias?

Answer 9

Cervical and shoulder girdle peripheral entrapment neuropathies

Question 10

What condition has red flags for pain present at rest and possible with retrograde distribution?

Answer 10

Cervical and shoulder girdle peripheral entrapment neuropathies

Question 11

What condition has red flags for muscles innervated that are tender to palpate?

Answer 11

Cervical and shoulder girdle peripheral entrapment neuropathies

Question 12

What condition has red flags for muscles and sensory distribution that follow a specific nerve pattern?

Answer 12

Cervical and shoulder girdle peripheral entrapment neuropathies

Question 13

What condition has red flags for weakness of shoulder abduction?

Answer 13

Spinal accessory nerve

Question 14

What condition has red flags for inability to shrug shoulders?

Answer 14

Spinal accessory nerve

Question 15

What condition has red flags for dull pain, weakness, and drooping of shoulder?

Answer 15

Spinal accessory nerve

Question 16

What condition has red flags for lack of scapular stabilization?

Answer 16

Spinal accessory nerve

Question 17

What condition has red flags for weakness of shoulder abduction and flexion?

Answer 17

Axillary nerve

Question 18

What condition has red flags for lack of sensation of lateral aspect of upper arm?

Answer 18

Axillary nerve

Question 19

What condition has red flags for serratus anterior weakness with scapula winging?

Answer 19

Long thoracic nerve

Question 20

What condition has red flags for loss of scapulohumeral rhythm?

Answer 20

Long thoracic nerve

Question 21

What condition has red flags that have presentation similar to rotator cuff tear because of wasting of supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles?

Answer 21

Suprascapular nerve

Question 22

What condition has red flags of loss of strength in abduction and external rotation of shoulder?

Answer 22

Suprascapular nerve

Question 23

What condition has red flags in men >50 years with history of smoking?

Answer 23

Pancoast’s tumor (superior sulcus lung tumor)

Question 24

What condition has red flags of nagging type pain in shoulder and along the vertebral border of scapula?

Answer 24

Pancoast’s tumor (superior sulcus lung tumor)

Question 25

What condition has red flags of pain that has progressed from nagging to burning in nature, often extending down arm and into ulnar nerve distribution?

Answer 25

Pancoast’s tumor (superior sulcus lung tumor)