Spinal pain
Red flags
Refer to alternate diagnostic services
Consider urgent (orthopaedic) referral for patients with the following :
- With respect to severe back/neck pain, presence of ≥ 1 factors that apply to symptoms:
- follows a fall, blow to the back/neck or other injury
- is constant or intense
- worsens during rest or at night
- severe pain that spreads down one or both legs/arms
- causes persistent weakness, numbness or tingling in one or both legs/arms
- is associated with new bowel or bladder problems
- is accompanied by fever
- is associated with pain or throbbing in the abdomen
- is accompanied by unexplained weight loss
- a history of cancer, osteoporosis, steroid use, or drug or alcohol abuse
Features that may lead to more urgent PPMS categorisation
- Escalating opioid drug use
- Psychological/psychiatric/occupational barriers to recovery
- Development of features suggestive of complex regional pain syndrome
- Vasoconstriction/dilation, sweating in area of pain, trophic changes
Most spinal pain will previously have been seen by a spinal orthopaedic specialist before referral to Persistent Pain Management Services. Do not refer unless the pain has been present for more than 6 weeks and the cause has been diagnosed.
Spinal pain conditions include:
- Chronic neck pain
- Degenerative (OA, disc degeneration, osteoporotic)
- Whiplash/traumatic/post-surgical related
- Inflammatory (rheumatological conditions)
- Chronic low back pain
- Degenerative (OA, disc degeneration, osteoporotic)
- Traumatic/post-surgical
- Inflammatory (rheumatological conditions)
Other important information for referring practitioners
Lifestyle changes
- Encourage healthy activity within pain limits
- Consider physio referral
- Hydrotherapy
- Weight reduction especially for low back pain
- Dietician referral
- Ensure adequate sleep
- Check for mood disturbances and relationship difficulties
- Consider psychology referral for any mood disturbances
Medical management
- Ensure no evidence of serious neurological compromise
- Weakness, sensory involvement
- Bowel and bladder dysfunction
- Exclude neuropathic pain (use the DN4 questionnaire)
- Do not continue to investigate chronic spinal pain if initial investigations exclude serious pathology
- Use a logical graded approach to pain relief with particular focus on:
- Maintaining activity
- Maintaining social functioning
- Ensuring adequate sleep
- Set realistic treatment goals
- Avoid undue reliance on medication for symptom control
- Avoid medication overuse
- If using opioid medication try to use only for acute exacerbations
- Consider pain modifying agents to avoid chronic opioid use
- Amitriptylene/Nortriptylene (may have positive effects on anxiety and sleep)
- Duloxetine (may help with associated anxiety and depression and is recommended for neuropathic pain)
- Pregabalin (now PBS listed for neuropathic pain in primary care)
Referral requirements
A referral may be rejected without the following information.
Send referral
Hotline: 1300 364 938
Fax: 1300 364 952
Electronic: eReferral system
Mail: Metro North Central Patient Intake
Aspley Community Centre
776 Zillmere Road
ASPLEY QLD 4034
Health pathways
Access to Health Pathways is free for clinicians in Metro North Brisbane.
For login details email:
healthpathways
Login to Brisbane North Health Pathways:
brisbanenorth.
Locations
Resources
- Named Referral Information Sheet
- Outpatient clinic information
- General referral criteria
- eReferral template
Clinical resources
- PPMS eReferral form
- Persistent pain referral forms and templates
- Management Guide for General Practitioners, Queensland Health
- Use of Opioids in Chronic Non-Malignant Pain, Quick Clinical Guideline
- Pain Management, Position Statement, Australian Physiotherapy Association
- Pain Management, Review article, RACGP
- Opioid pescription in chronic pain conditions, Guidelines for GPs, SA Health