The heuristic seamh. The heuristicsearch
is defined by Balla as
... a goaCoriented method and to be
able to use it one must ilnderstanci the
stnlcture of the problem and know the
likely outcomes. Information gathering
will then be oriented in such a way that
the chta can be used to reach the chosen
goal."
For example, the patient with buttock
and posterior thigh pain ixay upon
further questioning reveal that the pain
is extreme, occurs at night ancl is so
severe that it keeps the patient awake,
and is not affected by movement. All
of the symptoms described should
raise "red flags" to the clinician, ancl
the "rule of thumb" is that such symptoms
nlay indicare pain of nonmusculoskeletal
origin, with referral to medical
sources imminent.