Minster Chiropractic Center Understands How Images Help a Back Pain Patient

“Seeing is believing.” Ever heard that saying before? Minster Chiropractic Center bets you have. Minster Chiropractic Center understands that Minster back pain patients often want to see the source of their pain. (They already believe their pain!) Currently, imaging doesn’t always fulfill 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 Minster back pain patients can believe that their Minster chiropractor will thoroughly tell them the cause of their pain…and set a treatment plan to ease that pain.

THE GOOD OF IMAGING

Today’s imaging recommendations 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 indications, reducing radiation dose and performing more MRI than CT. These efforts in turn decrease the cost of imaging. (1) Recommendations today are to no do imaging for 6-8 weeks of conservative treatment. Minster Chiropractic Center 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 a month during which time 50% improvement is sought. If a month pass without such improvement, imaging is ordered. These are positive situations for Minster back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your Minster chiropractor most of the time.

BACK PAIN SUFFERERS WANT TO “SEE”

Other times (and Minster Chiropractic Center totally understands 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 a glaring 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 is likely 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 depend on imaging to determine the severity of it. Specifically, a group of researchers looked at the possibility of how imaging helped visualize the relationship between lumbopelvic alignment and cervical alignment and subsequent cervical spine myelopathy severity. (3) Imaging has its good points. Your Minster back pain specialist at Minster Chiropractic 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 needed.

CONTACT Minster Chiropractic 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 Minster chiropractic appointment at Minster Chiropractic 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. Minster Chiropractic Center believes in its relief. You can, too.

 
Minster Chiropractic Center understands how “seeing [imaging – xray or MRI] is believing” works for back pain patients to see the cause 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."