Do not be impressed by an orthopod who says that you have a major disc prolapse or
that your osteoarthritis is in a late stage. As long as you do not have any of the
symptoms listed above, surgery is ruled out. You then come under the category of
“Pathological cause but no Red Flag” for which conservative measures are sufficient. We
shall discuss these measures in the following chapters.
Summary – Red Flags
If this is your first episode of severe back pain, YOU NEED TO SEE
YOUR DOCTOR FIRST to find out if you have a pathological cause for
your pain. Your doctor or orthopod should be able to assess from
your medical history and clinical examination whether any
investigations are necessary to identify a pathological cause. Watch
out for “RED FLAGS” as these indicate nerve compression that may
require surgery. You, and not your doctor, are the best person to
identify Red Flags since almost all of them are symptoms that you
may experience. We shall consider in the next chapter the appropriate
surgical treatments for the different conditions listed above when red
flags are present.