Approach to Neck Pain

Classification of neck pain

Type Clinical features 
Grade I 
  • Able to do daily activities without disabling pain 
  • No evidence of structural pathology (eg, fracture, dislocation, spinal cord injury, infection, neoplasm or inflammatory arthropathies)  
  • No further evaluation required in these patients 
Grade II 
  • No evidence of significant structural pathology  
  • Significant pain that interferes with daily activities 
  • Symptom management only without further evaluation required 
Grade III 
  • Evidence of compression of spinal cord or nerve root (eg, decreased reflexes, weakness, sensory deficits) 
  • Further evaluation recommended in all patients 
  • No evidence to suggest underlying fracture, abscess, or malignancy 
Grade IV 
  • Evidence suggesting significant underlying structural pathology 
  • Urgent evaluation recommended in all patients 
(Next Lesson) Differential diagnosis of neck pain
Back to Approach to Neck Pain

No Comments

Comments are closed.