This document discusses assessment issues in chronic pain management. It outlines causes of missed diagnoses by assessors or patients, and the potential consequences. The role of initial assessment is discussed, including who performs it and whether the goal is diagnosis or symptom management. Reasons to pursue diagnosis include identifying serious illnesses, treatable conditions, and enabling further treatment or referral. However, over-diagnosis can also cause issues like unnecessary anxiety, investigations, and resource use. Guidance is provided on signs that warrant further investigation for conditions like radiculopathy, spinal stenosis, and cancer. Factors associated with different types of back pain are also summarized.

1. Assessment Issues in Chronic Pain Spring Scientific Meeting 16 th May 2008 www.nbpa.org.uk Queen Mother Conference Centre

2. NBPA May 2008 When to get worried? Missed pathology in the pain clinic

3. Outline Causes and consequences Role of Assessor Why diagnose? Back pain when to worry Conclusion Questions

4. Causes of missed diagnosis Assessor Patient Diagnosis Institution/philosophy

5. CONSEQUENCES OF MISSED DIAGNOSIS patient illness professional institution

6. Assessment Role of initial assessor Who performs initial assessment? Triage Single vs. team assessment Goals of assessment Diagnosis vs symptom management

7. Reasons to pursue diagnosis? Serious illness Treatable diagnosis Disease progression Onward referral Patient anxiety Ability to progress Therapeutic investigation

8. Problems with pursuing diagnosis No diagnosable illness Anxiety and catastrophising Fuels cure searching Cost Duplication of investigations False positives Use of resources

9. Age under 20 or over 55 Bony tenderness Non-mechanical pain (capsular) (Thoracic pain) PMHx: Ca, steroids, HIV Unwell, wt loss Structural deformity Persistent night pain Widespread neurology bilateral leg signs Saddle anaesthesia Sphincter disturbance

10. Back Pain 1) Non specific low back pain 2) Back pain potentially associated with radiculopathy or spinal stenosis. 3) Back pain associated with another specific spinal cause Look for differentiating factors American College of Physicians 2007

11. Breakdown of Back pain Group 1 >85% non specific. Group 2 Spinal stenosis 3%, radiculopathy 4% Cauda equina syndrome 0.04% Group 3 Compression fracture 4% Cancer 0.7%, spinal infection 0.01% Ankylosing spondylitis 0.3-5% Other

12. Radiculopathy Typical sciatica history Location Motor assessment Straight leg raise, crossed SLR

13. Spinal Stenosis Pseudoclaudication Radiating leg pain Downhill treadmill Pain relieved by sitting Age >65

14. Cauda equina syndrome Rapidly progressive, severe neurological deficit Motor deficits >1 level Faecal incontinence Bladder dysfunction

15. Malignancy risk factors History of cancer* Unexplained weight loss Failure to improve after 1 month >50 year old

16. Vertebral infection Fever IV drug use Recent infection Specific Risk factors

17. Fracture Age Young: traumatic Older: osteoporotic Steroid use

18. Ankylosing spondylitis Young, male Morning stiffness Improvement with exercise Alternating buttock pain Wakening with pain in the second part of the night

19. Psychosocial factors Depression Passive coping strategies Job dissatisfaction High disability levels Disputed compensation Somatisation Catastrophising

20. Group 1 No routine imaging or tests required. Assess psychosocial overlay

21. Investigation of 2) and 3) Signs of progressive/severe neurological deficits Serious underlying disease Deciding on further treatment (symptoms > 1 month) MRI CT XRay

22. Resources Diagnosis and Treatment of Low Back Pain: A Joint Clinical Practice Guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society. 2007 American College of Physicians International Headache Society Classification Subcommittee. The International Classification of Headache Disorders. 2nd edition. Cephalalgia 2004; 24 (Suppl 1): 1-160 Descriptions of Chronic Pain Syndromes and Definitions of Pain Terms, Second Edition, IASP

23. Assessment Issues in Chronic Pain Spring Scientific Meeting 16 th May 2008 www.nbpa.org.uk Queen Mother Conference Centre