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Subspeciality surgery
Coronary artery disease: Clinical (To be retired)
Valvular heart disease: Clinical (To be retired)
Pericardial disease: Clinical (To be retired)
Aortic aneurysms and dissections: Clinical (To be retired)
Chest trauma: Clinical (To be retired)
Pleural effusion: Clinical (To be retired)
Pneumothorax: Clinical (To be retired)
Lung cancer: Clinical (To be retired)
Anatomy clinical correlates: Thoracic wall
Anatomy clinical correlates: Heart
Anatomy clinical correlates: Pleura and lungs
Anatomy clinical correlates: Mediastinum
Adrenergic antagonists: Beta blockers
ACE inhibitors, ARBs and direct renin inhibitors
cGMP mediated smooth muscle vasodilators
Lipid-lowering medications: Statins
Lipid-lowering medications: Fibrates
Miscellaneous lipid-lowering medications
Antiplatelet medications
Benign hyperpigmented skin lesions: Clinical (To be retired)
Skin cancer: Clinical (To be retired)
Blistering skin disorders: Clinical (To be retired)
Bites and stings: Clinical (To be retired)
Burns: Clinical (To be retired)
Anatomy clinical correlates: Olfactory (CN I) and optic (CN II) nerves
Anatomy clinical correlates: Trigeminal nerve (CN V)
Anatomy clinical correlates: Facial (CN VII) and vestibulocochlear (CN VIII) nerves
Anatomy clinical correlates: Glossopharyngeal (CN IX), vagus (X), spinal accessory (CN XI) and hypoglossal (CN XII) nerves
Anatomy clinical correlates: Skull, face and scalp
Anatomy clinical correlates: Ear
Anatomy clinical correlates: Temporal regions, oral cavity and nose
Anatomy clinical correlates: Bones, fascia and muscles of the neck
Anatomy clinical correlates: Vessels, nerves and lymphatics of the neck
Anatomy clinical correlates: Viscera of the neck
Antihistamines for allergies
Stroke: Clinical (To be retired)
Seizures: Clinical (To be retired)
Headaches: Clinical (To be retired)
Traumatic brain injury: Clinical (To be retired)
Neck trauma: Clinical (To be retired)
Brain tumors: Clinical (To be retired)
Lower back pain: Clinical (To be retired)
Anatomy clinical correlates: Olfactory (CN I) and optic (CN II) nerves
Anatomy clinical correlates: Oculomotor (CN III), trochlear (CN IV) and abducens (CN VI) nerves
Anatomy clinical correlates: Trigeminal nerve (CN V)
Anatomy clinical correlates: Facial (CN VII) and vestibulocochlear (CN VIII) nerves
Anatomy clinical correlates: Glossopharyngeal (CN IX), vagus (X), spinal accessory (CN XI) and hypoglossal (CN XII) nerves
Anatomy clinical correlates: Vertebral canal
Anatomy clinical correlates: Spinal cord pathways
Anatomy clinical correlates: Cerebral hemispheres
Anatomy clinical correlates: Anterior blood supply to the brain
Anatomy clinical correlates: Cerebellum and brainstem
Anatomy clinical correlates: Posterior blood supply to the brain
Anticonvulsants and anxiolytics: Barbiturates
Anticonvulsants and anxiolytics: Benzodiazepines
Nonbenzodiazepine anticonvulsants
Migraine medications
Osmotic diuretics
Antiplatelet medications
Thrombolytics
Eye conditions: Refractive errors, lens disorders and glaucoma: Pathology review
Eye conditions: Retinal disorders: Pathology review
Eye conditions: Inflammation, infections and trauma: Pathology review
Anatomy clinical correlates: Olfactory (CN I) and optic (CN II) nerves
Anatomy clinical correlates: Oculomotor (CN III), trochlear (CN IV) and abducens (CN VI) nerves
Anatomy clinical correlates: Eye
Joint pain: Clinical (To be retired)
Lower back pain: Clinical (To be retired)
Anatomy clinical correlates: Clavicle and shoulder
Anatomy clinical correlates: Axilla
Anatomy clinical correlates: Arm, elbow and forearm
Anatomy clinical correlates: Wrist and hand
Anatomy clinical correlates: Median, ulnar and radial nerves
Anatomy clinical correlates: Bones, joints and muscles of the back
Anatomy clinical correlates: Hip, gluteal region and thigh
Anatomy clinical correlates: Knee
Anatomy clinical correlates: Leg and ankle
Anatomy clinical correlates: Foot
Traumatic brain injury: Clinical (To be retired)
Neck trauma: Clinical (To be retired)
Chest trauma: Clinical (To be retired)
Abdominal trauma: Clinical (To be retired)
Penile conditions: Pathology review
Prostate disorders and cancer: Pathology review
Testicular tumors: Pathology review
Kidney stones: Clinical (To be retired)
Renal cysts and cancer: Clinical (To be retired)
Urinary incontinence: Pathology review
Testicular and scrotal conditions: Pathology review
Anatomy clinical correlates: Male pelvis and perineum
Anatomy clinical correlates: Female pelvis and perineum
Anatomy clinical correlates: Other abdominal organs
Anatomy clinical correlates: Inguinal region
Androgens and antiandrogens
PDE5 inhibitors
Adrenergic antagonists: Alpha blockers
Peripheral vascular disease: Clinical (To be retired)
Leg ulcers: Clinical (To be retired)
Aortic aneurysms and dissections: Clinical (To be retired)
Anatomy clinical correlates: Anterior and posterior abdominal wall
Adrenergic antagonists: Beta blockers
Lipid-lowering medications: Statins
Lipid-lowering medications: Fibrates
Miscellaneous lipid-lowering medications
Antiplatelet medications
Thrombolytics
Lower back pain: Clinical (To be retired)
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Sam Gillespie, BSc
Evan Debevec-McKenney
Back pain can originate from the spinal cord, the nerve roots, the vertebral column, the surrounding muscles and ligaments, or even extra-spinal structures such as abdominal organs.
Most lower back pain is considered non-specific musculoskeletal back pain, and is due to strained muscles and ligaments in the back. But sometimes it’s due to a specific disorder, and these can be categorized into 6 groups: degenerative disorders, mechanical disorders such as disk herniation and lumbar spinal stenosis, infections such as osteomyelitis and spinal epidural abscess, spinal epidural hematoma, inflammatory disorders such as ankylosing spondylitis, and cancers, such as multiple myeloma.
Specific disorders are often identified with a thorough history, and to help remember some common clues there’s the mnemonic: “TUNA FISH”.
“T” is for trauma. “U” is for unexplained weight loss, which may suggest a cancer. “N” is for neurological symptoms, like sensory loss, pain, or weakness in the legs, loss of sensation in the perineal area - which is called saddle anesthesia - as well as bowel, bladder, or sexual dysfunction.
“A” is for age over 50, which increases the risk of cancer.
“F” is for fever, which may indicate an infection.
“I” is for intravenous drug use or an immunocompromised state, both of which also increase the risk of infection.
“S” is for steroid use, which can cause secondary osteoporosis and vertebral fractures.
And finally, “H” is for a history of cancer.
On physical examination there might be some clues that suggest a specific disorder as well.
For example, erythema might be due to an underlying infection or and inflammatory process like psoriatic arthritis.
On palpation, if there’s a midline, point of focal tenderness then that could be due to an infection, cancer, or fracture.
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