Neck and back pain are common reasons for seeking evaluation and treatment in the
emergency department. Within both systems there exist several time-sensitive diagnoses
that the emergency provider should be familiar with in order to prevent significant
morbidity and mortality. In this article we provide a general overview of these complaints
by discussing problems in a systems-based fashion as well as discussing the initial
evaluation, work-up, and treatment options for these diagnoses.
Keywords
back pain - neck pain - cauda equina syndrome - spinal epidural abscess - aortic dissection
- abdominal aortic aneurysm - vertebral artery dissection
