Back pain is a non-specific complaint and specific features must be sought such as:
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Pain worse with use or change in posture
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Morning stiffness, improving with use
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Night wakening
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Radiation of pain and complaints of paresthesia (an abnormal sensation such as burning, prickling) or weakness
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Relationship to menstrual periods, intercourse, etc.
Spondyloarthropathies are systemic disease and may be associated with other features including:
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Family history
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Extra-articular features (EAF):
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Eye
-
Skin
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GU and GI
-
-
Episodic history
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Other diseases:
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Psoriasis
-
Enteropathy
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Reactive process.
-
Additional
features, e.g. iritis,
may have occurred at a distant time. Careful
questioning regarding family history including
EAF, especially psoriasis, may give important
information. Women with spondyloarthropies
present less frequently with classic or
common features.
Red flags include:
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Morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes and night wakening
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Associated pain, local peripheral joint symptoms
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EAF or family history.
