Special populations and acute pain: curriculum recognition: practice question

A Anaesthesia question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

Try it

Anaesthesia · Special populations and acute pain: curriculum recognition

Sample item

A man is sent home after shoulder surgery under an interscalene block with a numb, heavy arm. Which advice is most important at discharge?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

D. Take oral analgesics before the block wears off and protect the numb arm in a sling

When a single-shot block wears off, pain can return suddenly and severely, so oral analgesia should begin beforehand. The insensate limb must be protected from pressure, heat and injury until sensation returns. Patients should also be told whom to contact if numbness persists unusually long.

Option by option

  • A. Apply a heat pack to the numb arm to speed recovery

    Heat on an insensate limb risks burns because the patient cannot feel them.

  • B. Use the arm normally because it is anaesthetised

    A numb limb can be injured unnoticed, so normal use is unsafe.

  • C. Wait until the pain becomes severe before taking any tablets

    Waiting for severe pain leaves the patient without cover when the block resolves.

  • D. Take oral analgesics before the block wears off and protect the numb arm in a sling (correct)

    Correct. Early oral analgesia covers the return of pain, and the sling protects the limb.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Anaesthesia questions

Questions about this Anaesthesia question

What is the answer to this Anaesthesia question?

The best answer is D, Take oral analgesics before the block wears off and protect the numb arm in a sling. When a single-shot block wears off, pain can return suddenly and severely, so oral analgesia should begin beforehand.

Why is "Apply a heat pack to the numb arm to speed recovery" not the answer?

Heat on an insensate limb risks burns because the patient cannot feel them.

Why is "Use the arm normally because it is anaesthetised" not the answer?

A numb limb can be injured unnoticed, so normal use is unsafe.

Why is "Wait until the pain becomes severe before taking any tablets" not the answer?

Waiting for severe pain leaves the patient without cover when the block resolves.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Special populations and acute pain: curriculum recognition in Anaesthesia. The insensate limb must be protected from pressure, heat and injury until sensation returns. Patients should also be told whom to contact if numbness persists unusually long.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Special populations and acute pain: curriculum recognition?

Make a table of each agent, its key advantage and its main side effect. Then use the flashcards and the other Anaesthesia questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.