OBJECTIVE: To describe the management in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain in general practice. DESIGN: A descriptive, questionnaire-based retrospective study. SETTING: General practices in the Netherlands. PATIENTS: 517 patients with chronic non-specific neck pain. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Nature and frequency of diagnostic procedures, therapeutic interventions and referrals by the general practitioner (GP). RESULTS: Forty-four per cent visited the GP for neck pain in the previous year. Of the patients who did visit the GP in the previous year, 32% did not receive a diagnostic modality, 31% did not receive therapy and 43% were not referred. The most frequently applied diagnostic and therapeutic modalities were physical examination (66%) and pain medication (58%), respectively. The GPs most frequently referred to a physiotherapist (51%). CONCLUSION: Once neck pain has become chronic, the minority (44%) of patients do seek help from their GP on a yearly base. In spite of the fact that the patients' conditions are non-specific and chronic, GPs still find indications for further diagnostics in two-thirds of patients. The GPs were rather consistent in their management, as the nature of the diagnostic/therapeutic modalities and referrals was similar in more than 50% of the patients.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the management in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain in general practice. DESIGN: A descriptive, questionnaire-based retrospective study. SETTING: General practices in the Netherlands. PATIENTS: 517 patients with chronic non-specific neck pain. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Nature and frequency of diagnostic procedures, therapeutic interventions and referrals by the general practitioner (GP). RESULTS: Forty-four per cent visited the GP for neck pain in the previous year. Of the patients who did visit the GP in the previous year, 32% did not receive a diagnostic modality, 31% did not receive therapy and 43% were not referred. The most frequently applied diagnostic and therapeutic modalities were physical examination (66%) and pain medication (58%), respectively. The GPs most frequently referred to a physiotherapist (51%). CONCLUSION: Once neck pain has become chronic, the minority (44%) of patients do seek help from their GP on a yearly base. In spite of the fact that the patients' conditions are non-specific and chronic, GPs still find indications for further diagnostics in two-thirds of patients. The GPs were rather consistent in their management, as the nature of the diagnostic/therapeutic modalities and referrals was similar in more than 50% of the patients.
Authors: Jacek Cholewicki; John M Popovich; N Peter Reeves; Lisa A DeStefano; Jacob J Rowan; Timothy J Francisco; Lawrence L Prokop; Mathew A Zatkin; Angela S Lee; Alla Sikorskii; Pramod K Pathak; Jongeun Choi; Clark J Radcliffe; Ahmed Ramadan Journal: PM R Date: 2021-10-31 Impact factor: 2.218
Authors: Nicole H Raney; Evan J Petersen; Tracy A Smith; James E Cowan; Daniel G Rendeiro; Gail D Deyle; John D Childs Journal: Eur Spine J Date: 2009-01-14 Impact factor: 3.134
Authors: Nadine Graham; Anita R Gross; Lisa C Carlesso; P Lina Santaguida; Joy C Macdermid; Dave Walton; Enoch Ho Journal: Open Orthop J Date: 2013-09-20
Authors: Maarten A Schmitt; Nico Lu van Meeteren; Anton de Wijer; Paul Jm Helders; Yolanda van der Graaf Journal: BMC Musculoskelet Disord Date: 2008-12-19 Impact factor: 2.362