Back pain: a case study

Musculoskeletal complaints, especially back pain without trauma, are frequent health problems seen by nurse practitioners in community emergency centers and office settings. Back pain can be a symptom of serious health problems. This article presents the case of a Caucasian male in his early sixties who reported sudden onset of back pain after pushing a heavy object. Careful clinical assessment led the nurse practitioner with the collaborating physician to pursue diagnostic tests, which revealed thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms.