Sam is a 25-year-old who has been diagnosed with low back strain based on his history of localized low back pain and muscle spasm along with a normal neurological examination. as the clinician, you explain to sam that low back pain is a diagnosis of exclusion. which of the following symptoms would alert the clinician to the more serious finding of a herniated nucleus pulposus or ruptured disc? a. morning stiffness and limited mobility of the lumbar spineb. unilateral radicular pain symptoms that extend below the knee and are equal to or greater than the back painc. fever, chills, and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rated. pathologic fractures, severe night pain, weight loss, and fatigue

Unilateral radicular pain symptoms that extend below the knee and are equal to or greater than the back pain.

Explanation:

The medical term diagnosis of exclusion refers to a disease or medical condition whose presence cannot be confirmed with complete certainty only by examination or testing. The GP explained to Sam that low back pain is a diagnosis of exclusion, so more testing and more information would be needed to try to find out what medical condition Sam has.

Regarding Sam's lower back pain, the symptoms that would alert the clinician to the more serious discovery of a pulpous nucleus or herniated disc would be unilateral root pain that extends below the knee and is equal to or greater than back pain.