Back Pain: Chronic, Complex & Concerning (Part 2)

  

Welcome to Part 2 – let's move beyond the acute setting to focus on the challenges of chronic low back pain, the impact of psychosocial factors (yellow flags), and how to recognise red flags that may signal serious underlying pathology. 

Acute vs Chronic Pain: A Neurophysiological Perspective for Med Students

Not all pain is created equal – and understanding the neurophysiology behind acute and chronic pain is foundational for clinical practice.

Back Pain: From Assessment to Action (Part 1)

Back pain is a common yet complex presentation in Australian primary care GP and ED. Understanding acute vs chronic pain, the underlying mechanisms, and evidence-based management strategies is key—especially when differentiating between specific and non-specific causes.

Here’s a clinical reasoning-based summary 👇

Spinal Nerves, Dermatomes & Myotomes: Understanding Nerve Root Signs

 When a patient has back pain with leg symptoms — tingling, numbness, or weakness — your job is to figure out which nerve root is involved. 

That means understanding dermatomes (sensory territories) and myotomes (motor control), and linking them to the underlying pathophysiology 👇

Back pain

 Back pain is common — but as a med student, your job isn’t just to recognise it. It’s to understand it. That means knowing the underlying pathophysiology, linking it to the history, and spotting red flags.

Let’s discuss one of the most common clinical presentations — and what’s going on beneath the surface 👇 

Tackling MCQs in Medicine: Clinical and Scientific Thinking

 I've had a few student questions this week about exam technique so wanted to share my thoughts with all of you on how to best approach multiple choice / extended matching questions. Let me know what you think? 🤔🧠

MCQs in med school aren’t just about choosing the right answer — they’re about how you think. Whether you’re deep in basic sciences or navigating clinical vignettes, the same core strategies apply. Here’s how to level up your approach 👇

What is the pathophysiological mechanism of cough?

Whether it’s a tickle in your throat or a full-blown coughing fit, this powerful reflex is all about protecting your lungs. But what's really going on behind the scenes?

Pharmacology Focus: Asthma Medications – Part 2

 Preventers & Add-On Therapies

In Part 1, we explored bronchodilators – which treat bronchoconstriction, one part of the asthma puzzle. But asthma is fundamentally a chronic inflammatory disease, and ongoing airway inflammation needs long-term control to prevent symptoms, reduce exacerbations, and preserve lung function.

This is where preventers and add-on anti-inflammatory therapies come in.

What is the link between aspirin and asthma?

I made this video 8 years or so ago about the role of aspirin sensitivity in asthma - the pharmacology is very cool- you might find it interesting? (it contains my favourite biochemical pathway ! )

Pharmacology Focus: Asthma Medications – Part 1

Bronchodilator therapies in Asthma

Asthma management isn't just about relieving symptoms — it's about understanding the underlying pathophysiology and targeting different mechanisms. Bronchodilators play a key role in managing airway narrowing, a hallmark of asthma, but they don't all work the same way.

Let’s look at the major bronchodilator classes used in asthma: short-acting β2 agonists (SABAs), long-acting β2 agonists (LABAs), and muscarinic antagonists (SAMAs and LAMAs) — and link them to the science behind the symptoms.