A 49-year-old man was treated by you for bilateral synovitis of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints in the second, third, and fourth fingers. His symptoms went away with treatment, and he was discharged. Six weeks later, he returned with the same symptoms. There was obvious soft tissue swelling with morning stiffness worse than before. He also reports problems with his bowels but isn’t able to tell you exactly what’s wrong. There are no other changes in his health. He is not taking any medications or over-the-counter drugs and does not want to see a doctor.
Are there enough red flags to warrant medical evaluation before resumption of physical therapy intervention?
Select one of the following: