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 help in smart clinical decisions for safe, effective care in our settings.
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 outcomesHere we clear up the patient’s short-term and long-term aims, desired results, and hopes from physio, matching assessment and treatment to real-life functional needs and joint decision-making in care.
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 section spots medical cautions and no-go areas like blood thinners, swelling diseases, neck wobble, and bone thinning, adjusting hands-on methods, exercise amounts, and referral speed for safe practice.
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, distributionWe dig into nerve symptoms like shooting pain, tingling, weakness, and feeling changes, mapping where they spread and how touchy they are to spot nerve root issues and serious 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 checks how neck and upper back pain hits daily chores, job duties, driving, and workouts, measuring limits, workarounds, and cutbacks to focus on key functional goals and tracking tools.
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 scalesDetails pain strength, feel, and spread with proven scales and drawings, noting time patterns, sensitivity, and pains in multiple spots to track changes and back 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 traumaScreens for danger signs and full medical background like infections, cancer, body-wide illness, and fresh injuries, combining risks and symptom groups to judge medical referral urgency.
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 factorsStructures main pain history asks on start, length, worsening, daily rhythm, and what worsens or eases it, to tell mechanical from non-mechanical pain 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 habitsAnalyses desk setup and job tasks like computer time, sitting pose, rest breaks, and typing, to find changeable work style factors causing 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 levelsExplores sleep rest, stress, feelings, and living ways, tying them to pain levels, healing, and flare-ups, spotting changeable mind-body and habit factors needing teaching, pacing, or referral.
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
