Lesson 1Medication and prior treatment history: analgesics, physiotherapy, imaging, response to treatmentsThis part looks at current and past medicines, physio sessions, injections, and scans, paying attention to how treatments worked, side effects, sticking to plans, and warning signs that shape clinical thinking and direct safe, good management options.
Current analgesics and dosage detailsPast physiotherapy and manual therapyPrevious injections or surgical proceduresImaging findings and clinical relevanceTreatment response and side effectsAdherence, beliefs, and self-managementLesson 2Patient goals and expectations: short- and long-term functional goals and preferred outcomesThis part makes clear the patient’s short and long goals, wanted results, and hopes for physio, matching checks and treatment plans with real daily aims and joint decision-making ways.
Patient narrative of main concernsShort-term symptom relief prioritiesLong-term functional and role goalsReturn-to-work and sport expectationsAcceptable pain levels and timelinesShared decision-making and preferencesLesson 3Precautions and contraindications: anticoagulants, inflammatory conditions, cervical instabilityThis part spots medical cautions and no-go areas, like blood thinners, swelling diseases, neck wobble, and bone weakness, to adjust hands-on methods, exercise amounts, and referral speed for safe work.
Anticoagulants and bleeding riskInflammatory and autoimmune disordersSuspected cervical instability signsOsteoporosis and fracture risk factorsCardiovascular and vertebrobasilar riskRed-flag symptoms requiring referralLesson 4Neurological symptom exploration: radicular symptoms, paresthesia, weakness, distributionThis part checks nerve signs like shooting pain, tingling, weakness, and feeling changes, mapping spread and sensitivity to spot nerve root issues and possible big problems.
Radicular pain pattern and severityParesthesia, numbness, and tinglingSubjective weakness and clumsinessDermatomal and myotomal distributionBowel, bladder, and gait changesSymptom irritability and latencyLesson 5Functional impact questions: activities of daily living, work tasks, exercise toleranceThis part sees how neck and upper back pain hits daily care, job duties, driving, and workouts, measuring limits, workarounds, and taking part blocks to focus on daily goals and results checks.
Self-care and personal hygiene tasksHousehold and caregiving activitiesWorkstation and job-specific demandsDriving, commuting, and travel toleranceExercise, sport, and leisure restrictionUse of aids, supports, and adaptationsLesson 6Pain characteristics and scales: intensity, quality, timing, pain diagrams, numerical scalesThis part covers pain strength, type, and spread with trusted scales and drawings, noting time patterns, sensitivity, and pains in many spots to track changes and aid clinical thinking.
Numeric and visual analog scalesPain quality descriptors and irritabilityTemporal pattern and flare-up behaviorBody charts and pain distribution mapsNeck disability and function measuresInterpreting minimal important changeLesson 7Red flags and medical history: signs of infection, systemic disease, cancer, recent traumaThis part checks for danger signs and wider health past, covering infections, cancer, body-wide illness, and fresh injuries, mixing risks and sign groups to set medical referral need.
Fever, weight loss, and night sweatsHistory of cancer or serious illnessRecent trauma or high-risk accidentsNeurological or myelopathic signsCardiovascular and respiratory historyMedication, surgery, and allergy historyLesson 8Key pain history elements: onset, duration, progression, pattern, aggravating and easing factorsThis part sets up main pain history questions, including start, length, worsening, daily pattern, and what makes it worse or better, to tell body pain from other types and build ideas.
Initial onset and precipitating eventsDuration, frequency, and episode patternProgression, stability, or worseningDiurnal variation and night painAggravating movements and posturesEasing factors, rest, and medicationsLesson 9Workstation and activity-specific inquiry: computer use duration, posture, breaks, typing habitsThis part checks work desk setup and task activities, like computer time, sitting way, rests, and hand tasks, to find changeable work and habit causes of neck and upper back pain.
Desk, chair, and monitor positioningKeyboard, mouse, and typing habitsLaptop, tablet, and phone use patternsBreak frequency and microbreak habitsManual handling and lifting demandsDriving posture and in-vehicle setupLesson 10Sleep, psychosocial and lifestyle screening: sleep quality, stress, mood, activity levelsThis part looks into sleep good, worry, feelings, and life ways, tying them to pain level, healing, and bursts, and spotting changeable mind-social and habit factors needing teaching, pacing, or send-off.
Sleep onset, maintenance, and waking painWork stress, life events, and coping styleMood, anxiety, and pain catastrophizingPhysical activity level and sedentary timeCaffeine, alcohol, and nicotine patternsScreen time, device use, and wind-down
