Red Flags/Differential Diagnosis Flashcards
Identify Red Flags based off:
patient/family medical history
medical screening questionnaire
systems review (Y/N questions)
Red flags help determine:
if patient appropriate for PT
- w/ consult
- w/out consult
- not appropriate (med consult or 911)
What is a red flag?
sign or symptom found during patient history, systems review, or test and measures-> indicates physician referall
sign= observed or measured symptom= patient reports
Red flags may indicate:
- non-neuromusck problem
- serious NMS prob
- systemic disease
- serious pathology
- further exam by other health care necessary
Initial Systems review/questionnaire
ask general yes/no questions about health and if theyre being treated by physician for anything
ask for:
weight loss, fatigue, remors, rash, sleeping, falls, etc.
Muskoloskeletal pain (comparing vs. systemic)
Decreases w/ cessation of activity
Lessens at night
increases with mechanical stress
continuous or intermittent
ex: sleeping pain goes away if you move
Systemic Pain (comparing vs. muskoloskel)
reduced by pressure
disturbs sleep
not aggravated by mechanical stress
constant or in waves
ex: no matter what position sleeping youre in pain
Visceral referred pain
from internal organs or heart- trunk or abdomen
NOT well localized - diffuse
referred to site where organ was located in fetal development
Concerning PMH
- cancer
- recent (6wks) infection followed by neuro sympts 1-3 wks later, joint pain, or back pain
- recurrent colds/flu in pattern
- trauma
- minor trauma in old ppl w/ ostopenia
- immunosuppresion (HIV, steroids)
- injection drug use
Initial Potential Red Flag info
unknown etiology gradual/progressive/cyclical symptoms unrelieved pain w/ rest or change out of proportion of injury, beyond time frame PT cant alter symptoms unrelieved by PT
Fatigue
RF: tiredness interferes with person’s ability to carry out daily activities >2-4 wks
Fever, Chills, Sweats
Infections, cancers, CT disorders (ex: Rhematoid arhtiris)
RF: unknown origin
>99.5-101
present 2-3 wks
no MD consult
Weight loss
How much, over what time frame, other symptoms?
RF: 5-10% w/out change diet/excercise
10-15 lb wt loss/gain in 2 weeks
Nausea and Vomiting
How often/long? Other symptoms? W/out nausea?
Organ disease, metastatic cancer, adverse drug reaction
RF: unknown origin and MD not away
progessively worse
Change in mentation
New onset or worsening? Long/short term memory? Quick or slow come one?
Delirium, dementia, head injury, adverse drug, infection
