“Seeing is believing.” Ever heard
that saying before? Apple Country Chiropractic bets you have. Apple Country Chiropractic knows
that Williamson back pain patients often want to see the cause of their pain. (They believe they have pain by now!) Currently, imaging does
not always satisfy a patient’s desire to see the cause
if it’s because 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 what’s
going on. But Williamson back pain patients can believe that
their Williamson chiropractor will thoroughly tell
them the cause of their pain…and set a treatment plan to ease
that pain.
THE GOOD OF IMAGING
Imaging recommendations today
seem to be all about reducing imaging exposure and
cost. The concern of radiation exposure is being dealt with by carefully examining low back pain patients for more specific findings,
reducing radiation dose and doing 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. Apple Country Chiropractic has followed the Cox Technic System of Spinal Pain Management which recommends 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 30 days pass without such improvement, imaging is ordered. These are positive scenarios for
Williamson back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your
Williamson chiropractor typically.
BACK PAIN SUFFERERS WANT TO “SEE”
Other times (and Apple Country Chiropractic totally gets
this!) patients want to “see” their diagnosis. Words and descriptions and
drawings are one thing, but imaging is much more personal.
When it comes to non-specific back pain, there is an additional
layer of curiosity as it’s “non-specific” and does not
always have an obvious reason 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 concept
of imaging for spine issues. Today, medicine becomes more
and more interested in it. For cervical spine myelopathy, for instance,
treating physicians rely on imaging to determine its
severity. Particularly, a group
of researchers looked at the possibility of
how imaging helped see the relationship between lumbopelvic
alignment and cervical alignment and subsequent cervical spine
myelopathy severity. (3) Imaging has its good points. Your Williamson
back pain specialist at Apple Country Chiropractic wants to be sure imaging is appropriate to the treatment plan for our back pain patients’ ultimate
recovery and pain relief. We know that “seeing is believing” and
respect what imaging brings to the treatment plan when necessary.
CONTACT Apple Country Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Dan Clark on The Back
Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes how
valuable imaging can be for a patient’s treatment plan and final
outcome of care.
Schedule your Williamson chiropractic appointment at
Apple Country Chiropractic to more fully comprehend your back pain and
its relieving treatment plan whether you can see the cause or
not because you definitely already believe you
have pain. Apple Country Chiropractic believes in its relief. You can, too.