“Seeing is believing.” That’s a popular saying. Wilson Family Chiropractic knows
that Millville back pain patients many times wish to see the source of their pain. (They already believe
their pain!) Currently, imaging doesn’t always satisfy a patient’s desire to see the source
if it’s the result of an issue like chemical
irritation when disc material is on a nerve root, so imaging
can only go so far in satisfying a patient’s desire to see the cause. But Millville back pain patients can believe that
their Millville chiropractor will thoroughly explain to
them the cause of their pain…and set a treatment plan to ease
that pain.
THE GOOD OF IMAGING
Imaging recommendations today
are all about decreasing imaging exposure and
cost. The concern of radiation exposure is being dealt with by carefully examining low back pain patients for more specific indications,
reducing radiation dose and performing more MRI
than CT. These changes in turn reduce the cost of
imaging. (1) Recommendations today are to hold off on imaging for 6-8 weeks of conservative treatment. Wilson Family Chiropractic has followed the Cox Technic System of Spinal Pain Management which suggests holding off on imaging (in the absence of "red flags" which a thorough clinical examination finds) for a month during which time 50% improvement is sought. If a month pass without such improvement, imaging is ordered. These are win-win situations for
Millville back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your
Millville chiropractor typically.
BACK PAIN SUFFERERS WANT TO “SEE”
Other times (and Wilson Family Chiropractic totally understands
this!) patients want to “see” their diagnosis. Words and descriptions and
drawings are one thing, but imaging is a lot more personal.
When it comes to non-specific back pain, there is an additional
layer of curiosity as it is “non-specific” and does not
always have a glaring cause for the pain. The
public and patients believe imaging helps diagnose the back
pain condition. They are not alone as some healthcare professionals do, too. (2)
That’s probably why patients and their healthcare
providers want MRI and xrays.
MEDICINE AND SPINAL IMAGING
Interestingly, for years, medicine downplayed the idea
of imaging for spine problems. Today, medicine becomes more
and more interested in it. For cervical spine myelopathy, for example,
treating physicians rely on imaging to ascertain the severity of it. Particularly, a set
of researchers considered the possibility that imaging helped see the relationship between lumbopelvic
alignment and cervical alignment and subsequent cervical spine
myelopathy severity. (3) Imaging has its good points. Your Millville
back pain specialist at Wilson Family Chiropractic wants to be sure imaging is positively
contributory to the treatment plan for our back pain patients’ final
recovery and pain relief. We realize that “seeing is believing” and
respect what imaging contributes to the treatment plan when necessary.
CONTACT Wilson Family Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Dan Clark on The Back
Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes how
useful imaging can be for a patient’s treatment plan and final
outcome of care.
Schedule your Millville chiropractic appointment at
Wilson Family Chiropractic to understand your back pain and
its relieving treatment plan whether you can see its source or
not because you certainly already believe you
have pain. Wilson Family Chiropractic believes in its relief. You can, too.