Aisha A., 20

Aisha, a mother of one said to be living with her husband and a child in a small village of Maiduguri before she was displaced from her family due to the insurgency finding herself alone and living as a refugee in Damaturu. She was on her way to Maiduguri from Damaturu when she had an accident along the Damaturu-Maiduguri highway. She was brought by a samaritan with complaints of severe lower back pain, body weakness and some fast breathing. She also complaint of prior history of fever, frequency and painful micturition prior to the RTA. Available investigation revealed decline in her PCV. She was evaluated with Lumbosacral X-ray which showed?

Aish was addmitted in our facility where she was managed as a case of Severe Lower Back Pain 2o RTA on BG UTI and Severe Anaemia. She had her complete dosages of parenteral medications and 2 sessions of blood transfusion. She was also rehydrated with IV fluids. As the treatment progressed, she responded well as evidenced by resolving of admitting symptoms. She was later discharged home with oral medications following the improvement of her condition to continue her normal life.

Depending on the cause of the lower back pain, it is usually treated conservatively with adequate analgesia, rest and physiotherapy. However in severe injuries, surgery may be required especially in those with compromise to the nervous tissue. Anaemia is treated with adequate and appropriate blood transfusion coupled with Hematinics administration. UTI in all its forms is treated with the administration of the appropriate antibiotics following culture. However, before culture result is obtained broad spectrum antibiotics is commenced.