Final answer:
To accurately assess lower back pain, it is essential to ask patients about the specific location of their pain, the intensity of the pain, any self-medication with over-the-counter drugs, and any recent incidents such as falls that may have caused the pain.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a patient complains of lower back pain, asking focused and appropriate questions is essential for an accurate assessment and diagnosis. Lower back pain is a common complaint, and the patient's description of the pain can help to understand the underlying cause. Useful questions to ask include:
- Can you point with one finger to where it hurts the most? - This can indicate the localized area of pain and can help differentiate between muscular pain and pain originating from internal organs.
- On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst pain ever, what number is the pain right now? - This provides a subjective measure of the intensity of the pain.
- Have you tried taking any OTC meds for the pain? - This can give information on how the patient is managing the pain and if any over-the-counter medications have been effective.
- Do remember falling or twisting? - This can help to identify if there was any incident that might have caused the pain, such as a fall leading to a musculoskeletal injury.
Asking these questions helps to clarify the nature of the pain, which is critical in deciding the next steps for treatment.