Spine & Sports Rehab Center Understands How Images Help a Back Pain Patient

“Seeing is believing.” Ever heard that saying before? Spine & Sports Rehab Center bets you have. Spine & Sports Rehab Center knows that Baton Rouge back pain patients often wish to see the cause of their pain. (They believe they have pain by now!) Currently, imaging does not always fulfill a patient’s desire to see the cause if it’s due to an issue like chemical irritation when disc material is on a nerve root, so imaging can only go so far in meeting a patient’s desire to see the cause. But Baton Rouge back pain patients can believe that their Baton Rouge chiropractor will thoroughly explain to them the cause of their pain…and set a treatment plan to alleviate that pain.

THE GOOD OF IMAGING

Imaging recommendations today seem to be all about decreasing imaging exposure and cost. The concern of radiation exposure is being dealt with by careful examination of low back pain patients for more specific findings, decreasing 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. Spine & Sports Rehab Center 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 30 days during which time 50% improvement is sought. If a month pass without such improvement, imaging is ordered. These are positive scenarios for Baton Rouge back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your Baton Rouge chiropractor most of the time.

BACK PAIN SUFFERERS WANT TO “SEE”

Other times (and Spine & Sports Rehab Center totally gets this!) patients want to “see” their diagnosis. Words and descriptions and drawings are one thing while imaging is much more personal. When it comes to non-specific back pain, there is an added layer of curiosity as it’s “non-specific” and doesn’t always have a glaring cause for the pain. The public and patients believe imaging helps determine the back pain condition. They are not alone as some healthcare professionals do, too. (2) That’s likely why patients and their healthcare providers like MRI and xrays.

MEDICINE AND SPINAL IMAGING

Interestingly, for years, medicine downplayed the idea of imaging for spine issues. Today, medicine becomes more and more interested in it. For cervical spine myelopathy, for instance, treating physicians depend on imaging to determine the severity of it. Specifically, a group of researchers considered the possibility that imaging helped visualize the relationship between lumbopelvic alignment and cervical alignment and resulting cervical spine myelopathy severity. (3) Imaging has its good points. Your Baton Rouge back pain specialist at Spine & Sports Rehab Center wants to be sure imaging is appropriate 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 Spine & Sports Rehab Center

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Dan Clark on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he explains how useful imaging can be for a patient’s treatment plan and final outcome of care.

Schedule your Baton Rouge chiropractic appointment at Spine & Sports Rehab Center to understand your back pain and its relieving treatment plan whether you can see the cause or not because you definitely already believe you have pain. Spine & Sports Rehab Center believes in its relief. You can, too.

 
Spine & Sports Rehab Center understands how “seeing [imaging – xray or MRI] is believing” works for back pain patients to see the source of their pain.  
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"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."