A guide to identify cervical autonomic dysfunctions (and associated conditions) in patients with musculoskeletal disorders in physical therapy practice.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Differential diagnosis is a hot topic in physical therapy, especially for those working in a direct access setting dealing with neck pain and its associated disorders. All international guidelines agree in recommending to first rule out non-musculoskeletal pathologies as the cause of signs and symptoms in the patient. Although the autonomic nervous system (ANS) has a crucial role and is also involved in pain conditions, coverage of it in neuroscience textbooks and educational programmes is limited and most healthcare professionals are unfamiliar with it. Although autonomic conditions are benign in nature, they are clinically of great importance as they may be a 'red flag' warning of an injury along the sympathetic pathway. Therefore, sound knowledge of the ANS system is

SUBMITTER: Mourad F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10201454 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar-Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature