Lower Back Pain Paper

Lower Back Pain Paper

Initial Post:

Episodic/Focused SOAP Note

Patient Information: H.E, 42-year-old American male

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CC: Lower back pain

HPI: The patient, a 42-year-old male, presents with a chief complaint of lower back pain for the past month. The pain occasionally radiates to his left leg. He denies any recent trauma or heavy lifting. The pain is described as aching and constant, worsened by prolonged sitting or standing and relived by taking analgesics such as Tylenol. There are no associated numbness or weakness. The patient denies any bowel or bladder dysfunction. He puts the severity at 8/10.

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Location: Lower back

Onset: One month ago

Character: Aching and constant

Associated signs and symptoms: Radiation to the left leg and no associated numbness or weakness

Timing: After prolonged sitting and standing

Exacerbating/ relieving factors: Worsened by prolonged sitting or standing and relived by taking analgesics such as Tylenol. Lower Back Pain Paper

Severity: 8/10 pain scale

Current Medications:

• Tylenol (acetaminophen) 500 mg, 2 tablets every 6 hours as needed for pain
• Amlodipine 5 mg, once daily for hypertension

Allergies: No known allergies.

PMHx: No significant past medical history reported. The patient is hypertensive and takes amlodipine for blood pressure control.

Soc Hx: The patient is employed as an office manager. He is married with two children. He denies tobacco or alcohol use. The patient reports using proper ergonomics while working at the office.

Fam Hx: No significant family history reported.

ROS:

General: No weight loss, fever, chills, weakness, or fatigue.

Musculoskeletal: Reports dull pain in the lower back and occasional radiation to the left leg. No history of trauma.

Neurological: No numbness or weakness in the lower extremities.

Gastrointestinal: No bowel or bladder dysfunction.

Cardiovascular: no edema, no chest pains, no cough, no palpitations

Other systems are reviewed and are within normal limits.

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Physical exam

General Examination: The patient is alert and oriented to place, person, time and situation, appropriate judgement, well-nourished American, dressed appropriate to the weather, no distress noted, mild discomfort due to pain in his lower back. Emotional and behavioral needs are appropriate at the present time.

Vital signs: Blood pressure: 130/80 mmHg, Heart rate: 72 beats per minute, Respiratory rate: 16 breaths per minute, Temperature: 98.6°F (oral), Oxygen saturation: 98% on room air.

HEENT: Normocephalic and atraumatic. Pupils are equal, round, and reactive to light. Extraocular movements are intact. Ears, nose, and throat are unremarkable.

Neck: Supple. No lymphadenopathy or thyromegaly. Full range of motion without pain.

Cardiovascular: Regular rate and rhythm. No murmurs, rubs, or gallops. Peripheral pulses are intact.

Respiratory: Clear breath sounds bilaterally. No respiratory distress.

Abdomen: Soft, non-tender, and non-distended. Bowel sounds present. No organomegaly or masses. Lower Back Pain Paper

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Musculoskeletal:

• Inspection:No visible deformities, asymmetry, or skin changes in the lower back. No swelling or redness.
• Palpation:Tenderness over the lumbar paraspinal muscles and sacroiliac joints. No step-offs or bony prominences.
• Range of motion:Limited lumbar flexion and extension due to pain. Pain is reproduced with forward bending and backward extension.
• Straight leg raise test:Positive on the left side, reproducing low back and leg pain.

Neurological: Cranial nerves II-XII intact. No focal motor deficits. Sensation intact to light touch and pinprick in all dermatomes.

Skin: No rashes, lesions, or abnormalities noted.

Diagnostic results:

• X-ray of the lumbar spine:Shows decreased lumbar lordosis and evidence of muscle spasms in the paraspinal muscles.
• MRI of the lumbar spine:Reveals a small central disc protrusion at the L4-L5 level causing mild compression of the L5 nerve root. Additionally, mild degenerative changes, such as disc desiccation and facet joint hypertrophy, are noted at multiple levels of the lumbar spine.

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Differential Diagnoses

Lumbar Disc Herniation: The most likely diagnosis for this patient is Lumbar Disc Herniation. The patient’s symptoms of lower back pain radiating to the left leg, along with the MRI findings of a small central disc protrusion at the L4-L5 level causing mild compression of the L5 nerve root, are characteristic of this condition (Dydyk, 2023). The presence of decreased lumbar lordosis and muscle spasms in the paraspinal muscles could further suggest this diagnosis.

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: This condition could also explain the patient’s symptoms and imaging findings. Lumbar spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal in the lower back, which can put pressure on the spinal cord and the nerves that travel through the spine (AANS, 2023). The patient’s symptoms of lower back pain radiating to the leg, along with the MRI findings of facet joint hypertrophy, could suggest this diagnosis. The presence of decreased lumbar lordosis could further suggest this diagnosis (AANS, 2023).

Degenerative Disc Disease: This is a condition in which a damaged vertebral disc causes chronic pain. The patient’s symptoms of lower back pain, along with the MRI findings of disc desiccation and facet joint hypertrophy, could suggest this diagnosis (Suthar et al., 2015). The presence of a small central disc protrusion at the L4-L5 level causing mild compression of the L5 nerve root could further suggest this diagnosis.

Sciatica: This condition is characterized by pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from the lower back through the hips and buttocks and down each leg (Davis, 2022). The patient’s symptoms of lower back pain radiating to the left leg could suggest this diagnosis. The presence of a small central disc protrusion at the L4-L5 level causing mild compression of the L5 nerve root could further suggest this diagnosis.

Spondylolisthesis: This is a condition in which one of the bones in the spine slips out of place onto the bone below it. The patient’s symptoms of lower back pain, along with the MRI findings of facet joint hypertrophy, could suggest this diagnosis (Studnicka, 2022). The presence of decreased lumbar lordosis could further suggest this diagnosis. Lower Back Pain Paper

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This section is not required for the assignments in this course (NURS 6512) but will be required for future courses.

References

AANS. (2023). Lumbar Spinal Stenosis – Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatments. American Association of Neurological Surgeons. https://www.aans.org/en/Patients/Neurosurgical-Conditions-and-Treatments/Lumbar-Spinal-Stenosis

Davis, D. (2022, May 6). Sciatica. StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507908/

Dydyk, A. M. (2023, January 16). Disc Herniation. StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441822/

Studnicka, K. (2022, September 4). Lumbosacral Spondylolisthesis. StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560679/

Suthar, P. P., Patel, R., Mehta, C. H., & Patel, N. A. (2015). MRI Evaluation of Lumbar Disc Degenerative Disease. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. https://doi.org/10.7860/jcdr/2015/11927.5761. Lower Back Pain Paper