The presentation and management of the syncopal acute low back pain patient in chiropractic practice

The purpose of this case study is to illustrate the presentation of an acute low back pain patient in chiropractic practice and the clinical issues and management that this prompts. Acute low back pain is a common phenomenon affecting all age groups. The patient discussed in this paper serves as a typical presentation of such a complaint and also demonstrates some more extreme signs and symptoms related to acute pain including syncope. This acts as a discussion point for the physiological mechanisms of syncope in relation to acute pain and the effect on patient management. There has previously been no mutual agreement between professions regarding approach to treatment. The advent of clinical guidelines for the management of acute low back pain has attempted to initiate consistent treatment of such patients and provides scope for future discussion of this challenging topic.