Is Your Back Pain Inflammatory or Mechanical?
Is Your Back Pain Inflammatory or Mechanical?
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Quiz Questions
1.
Do you have pain in lower back, buttocks or neck for more than 3 months?
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A.
Yes
B.
No
2.
Did you develop your back problem slowly over time?
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A.
Yes. It developed gradually over few weeks to months.
B.
No. It came on suddenly.
3.
Were you less than 40 years old when your back pain first started?
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A.
Yes. I felt I was too young to have all these symptoms.
B.
No. It started well after I crossed 40.
4.
Does your back pain improve with exercise?
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A.
Yes. I feel really good after exercise.
B.
No. It actually gets worse if I try to exercise.
5.
After sitting at one place for a long period of time does your back pain get worse?
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A.
Yes. I avoid sitting in one position for long.
B.
No. I prefer resting than moving around.
6.
Does your back pain ever wake you up at night?
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A.
Yes. It’s rare that I get a good night’s sleep because of my back pain. It wakes me up in the middle/second half of the night.
B.
No. It doesn’t disturb me at night.
7.
Your pains are USUALLY the worst in the morning?
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A.
Yes. I don’t look forward to getting up in the morning. Getting out of the bed feels like a big task.
B.
No. I can get out of the bed easily.
8.
Does your back get stiff first thing in the morning for at least 30 minutes?
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A.
Yes. Sometimes morning stiffness lasts more than 30 min.
B.
No. I feel ok in just few minutes after getting out of the bed.
9.
Do you get alternating buttock pains?
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A.
Yes. It keeps changing side.
B.
No. I do not get buttock pains.
10.
Does your pain go through ‘good and bad days’ cycle?
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A.
Yes. Some days are relatively better.
B.
No. My pain is constant.
11.
Anti-inflammatory drugs (pain killers) USUALLY ease your symptoms of pain and stiffness?
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A.
Yes. Pain killers really take my pain away.
B.
No. I don’t find much relief even after taking pain killers.
12.
Apart from back pain do you have any other symptoms that may seem unrelated, such as –
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A.
1. Eye inflammation (red, painful, blurred vision) Yes No
B.
2. Inflammatory bowel disease (Diarrhoea, weight loss) Yes No
C.
3. Psoriasis (red thick scaly patches, excess dandruff, nail changes) Yes No
D.
4. Pain/swelling in your peripheral joints (such as your ankles or knees) Yes No
E.
5. Heel pain Yes No
F.
6. Rib pain or tightness on sneezing Yes No
13.
Do you have family history of AS?
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A.
Yes. I know a close family member with AS.
B.
No. No one in my family has this problem.
14.
Does your MRI or XR report mention sacro-ilitis?
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A.
Yes
B.
No
15.
Is your HLA B27 test positive?
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A.
Yes
B.
No
16.
Does your blood test report show raised CRP or ESR?
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A.
Yes
B.
No
Quiz Outcomes
1.
Receive a Copy of Your Results!
If you answer yes to most of the following questions, it’s likely that your back pain is inflammatory