UE differential diagnosis Flashcards
shoulder/UE screening clues
- simultaneous/alternating pain in other joints, esp easy fatigue, malaise, fever
- urologic S/S
- presence of hepatic S/S, esp when accompanied by risk factors for jaundice
- lack of improvement after tx, including trigger point therapy
- shoulder pain in a woman of childbearing age of unknown cause associated with missed menses (rupture of ectopic pregnancy)
- left shoulder pain w/in 24 hours of abdominal surgery, injury, trauma (Kehr’s sign, ruptured spleen)
general systemic questions- cancer
Does your pain wake you at night? -cancer
Can you find any way to relieve the pain and get back to sleep? -cancer
If yes, how? (cancer: pain is usually intense and constant; nothing relieves it or if relief is obtained in any way, over time pain gets progressively worse)
general systemic questions- +Kehr sign
Have you sustained any injuries in the last week during a sports activity, car accident, etc? -ruptured spleen associated with pain in the L shoulder, +Kehr’s sign
general systemic questions: rheumatic disease
Since the beginning of your shoulder problem, have you had any unusual perspiration for no apparent reason, sweats or fever?
Have you had any unusual fatigue (more than usual with no change in lifestyle), joint pain in other joints, or general malaise?
general exam questions: for the PT
has the client had a laparoscopy in the last 24-48 hours?
-L shoulder pain: + Kehr’s sign
systemic causes of shoulder pain
cancer cardiovascular/vascular pulmonary renal/urologic gastrointestinal/hepatic gynecologic/other
cancer & shoulder pain
NECK: metastases (leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease); cervical cord tumors; bone tumors
CHEST: metastases to nodes, lungs; bone metastasis to Tspine; breast cancer
ABDOMEN: pancreatic cancer; spinal metastases
cardiovascular/vascular & shoulder pain
NECK: TOS
CHEST: angina/MI; pacemaker; pericarditis; aortic aneurysm
ABDOMEN: abdominal aortic aneurysm
pulmonary & shoulder pain
NECK: pulmonary tuberculsis
CHEST: pulmonary embolism; pulmonary TB; pneumonia
renal/urologic & shoulder pain
ABDOMEN: kidney stones; obstruction, inflammation or infection of upper urinary tract
GI/hepatic & shoulder pain
CHEST: hiatal hernia
ABDOMEN: peptic/duodenal ulcer; ruptured spleen; liver disease; gallbladder disease; pancreatic disease
gynecologic/other & shoulder pain
CHEST: mastodynia; infection; diabetes; sickle cell anemia; hemophilia
ABDOMEN: ectopic pregnancy (rupture); subphrenic abscess; diaphragmatic hernia; anterior spinal surgery (post op hemorrhage)
PMH screening clues
- hx of rheumatic disease
- hx of DM (adhesive capsulitis)
- “frozen” shoulder of unknown cause in anyone with coronary artery disease, recent hx of hospitalization in coronary care or intensive care unit, status post CABG
- recent hx (1-3 months) of MI
- hx of cancer, esp breast or lung (metastasis)
- recent hx of pneumonia, recurrent upper respiratory infection, influenza
subjective exam: pulmonary questions
-Have you been treated recently for a lung problem (or think that you have any lung or resp problems)?
Do you currently have a cough?
- smoker’s cough?
- how long?
- productive cough (can you bring up sputum) and is the sputum yellow, green black or tinged with blood?
Do you ever have SOB, trouble catching your breath or feel breathless?
Does your shoulder pain increase when you cough, laugh or take a deep breath?
Do you have chest pain?
What effect does lying down or resting have on your shoulder pain?
- in the supine or recumbent position, a pulmonary problem may be made worse, whereas a MS problem may be relieved
- pulmonary pain may be relieved when the client lies on the affected side, which diminishes the movement of that side of the chest
pulmonary causes
pleural irritation results in sharp, localized pain aggravated by resp movement
“autosplinting”-lying on the affected side to decrease movement: also decreases pain
-if pain is MS, it would increase in this position
Yellow flag- shoulder pain worsening with recumbence bc of increased venous return
pneumonia: shoulder pain when affected lung presses on diaphragm-usually accompanied by confusion
should look for:
- persistent/productive cough
- chest pain
- tachypnea
- dyspnea
- wheezing
- hyperventilation
should do chest auscultation