DISKITIS

Course overview

DISCITIS IS A SERIOUS BUT UNCOMMON MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS. IT IS AN INFECTION OF THE INTERVERTEBRAL DISC SPACE. THE ROLE OF THE INTERVERTEBRAL DISCS IS TO SEPARATE AND CUSHION THE SPINAL SEGMENTS FROM EACH OTHER. AN INFECTION, AND THUS INFLAMMATION OF THESE DISCS CAN CAUSE MUCH PAIN AND DISCOMFORT. WHAT MAKES THE CONDITION UNCOMMON IS ALSO WHAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO TREAT: THE RELATIVELY SCARCE BLOOD SUPPLY TO THESE SEGMENTS. THIS ACTIVITY EXPLAINS WHEN THIS CONDITION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN A DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS, ARTICULATES HOW TO PROPERLY EVALUATE FOR THIS CONDITION, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.