Williamson Cervical Spine Pain: MRI-Seen Changes, & Plan for Care

Studying the cervical spine of neck pain sufferers who have MRIs noting some changes in the spine can be interesting, confusing, and/or (non)directive for treatment planning. Apple Country Chiropractic always views imaging through the lens of the clinical symptomatology and spinal examination. Williamson neck pain with imaging-revealed changes in the cervical spine will get a treatment plan based on both imaging (if/when available) and clinical exam findings.

MRI is an amazing technology. It is used commonly to evaluate intervertebral disc degeneration. When spine pain continues without relief while undergoing care for an extended period of time, doing imaging is logical and follows today’s guidelines for back pain management. The imaging findings must be correlated with the clinical symptomatology seen in the clinical exam to direct the care for optimal relief. Modic Changes – vertebral bone endplate and bone marrow changes - are commonly noted when radiologists read the MRI and classify the level of disc degeneration with level 1 being the least degenerated and level 3 being the most degenerated. More lumbar spine studies have been done to correlate back pain symptoms with imaging findings. In the cervical spine, the studies are fewer. A review of 14 research studies regarding the link between neck pain and/or cervical spine disc degeneration to MRI-revealed Modic changes described that cervical spine Modic changes were seen in 5% to 40% of the images. Patients whose MRIs revealed Modic changes expressed more neck pain and disability. Their imaging also showed more cervical disc degeneration. (1) Recently, an MRI study of cervical spines of neck pain and shoulder stiffness patients reported that no system of classification of cervical disc degeneration showed any relationship to clinical symptoms. However, the researchers did explain that vertebral endplate changes may be connected to clinical symptom presentations. (2) Chiropractic care can help pain due to disc degeneration and vertebral changes.

TREATMENT PLANNING 

When it comes to chiropractic treatment of patients with MRI imaging presenting Modic changes, researchers and clinicians have faced correlating effective non-surgical treatment options. Review of studies already published about the care of Modic change associated back pain, in this case it was low back pain, revealed that spinal manipulation was advocated as an option. The review listed insufficient support for medication use and rigid lumbar brace wearing, antibiotics’ use as controversial, and low evidence for exercise therapy to decrease pain intensity. (3) Talk about imaging being interesting, confusing, and/or (non)directive! One thing your Williamson chiropractor proficiently and safely delivers is spinal manipulation for neck pain and back pain relief manytimes before and/or in spite of imaging. Apple Country Chiropractic stays the course with what our experience tells us helps our patients.

CONTACT Apple Country Chiropractic

Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. Matthew Scott on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he shares the effectiveness and gentleness of the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for his patient with cervical spine disc degeneration and herniation that allowed him to avoid spine surgery.

Schedule your next Williamson chiropractic appointment with Apple Country Chiropractic. MRIs and Modic changes won’t confuse your chiropractor when it comes to setting up a neck pain relieving cervical spine treatment plan.