Healthcare providers can usually diagnose whiplash by examining your symptoms and asking you questions about your injury. CT scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can show details of damaged soft tissues (such as nerves or disks), though they may not always be required.

What are the red flags for neck pain?

Red flag symptoms

• Significant preceding trauma or neck surgery.
• Systemic upset (unintentional weight loss, night sweats, fevers)
• Severe pain.
• Nocturnal pain.
• Relatively young (<20 years) or old (>55 years)
• Signs of spinal cord compression.
• Significant vertebral body tenderness.

What is a red flag injury?

Red flags include: Sudden onset of severe central spinal pain which is relieved by lying down. A history of major trauma (such as a road traffic collision or fall from a height), minor trauma, or even just strenuous lifting in people with osteoporosis or those who use corticosteroids.

Why is night pain a red flag?

Severe Night Pain – This can be linked to be objective history if the patient’s symptoms are brought on when they are lying down or non weight bearing. Abdominal pain and changed bowel habits but with no change of medication – A change is bowel habits can be a red flag for cauda equina.

What does it mean when a doctor red flags you?

But there are certain things doctors may do or say that you may want to consider “red flags.” These are behaviors or statements that indicate they’re not willing or able to take your concerns seriously and fight for your health alongside you, and in extreme cases, may even make your health worse.

What is red flag symptom?

[4] The presence of red flags indicates the need for investigations and or referral. Essentially red flags are signs and symptoms found in the patient history and clinical examination that may tie a disorder to a serious pathology.

What are red flag conditions?

A Red Flag Warning is issued for weather events which may result in extreme fire behavior that will occur within 24 hours. The type of weather patterns that can cause a watch or warning include low relative humidity, strong winds, dry fuels, the possibility of dry lightning strikes, or any combination of the above.