“Seeing is believing.” Ever heard
that saying before? Vancouver Disc Centers bets you have. Vancouver Disc Centers understands
that Vancouver back pain patients often wish to see the cause of their pain. (They believe they have pain by now!) Currently, imaging does
not always meet a patient’s desire to see the cause
if it is the result of an issue like chemical
irritation when disc material leaks out to a nerve root, so imaging
can only go so far in satisfying a patient’s desire to see the cause. But Vancouver back pain patients can believe that
their Vancouver chiropractor will thoroughly tell
them the cause of their pain…and set a treatment plan to alleviate
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 findings,
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. Vancouver Disc Centers 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 positive scenarios for
Vancouver back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your
Vancouver chiropractor most of the time.
BACK PAIN SUFFERERS WANT TO “SEE”
Other times (and Vancouver Disc Centers totally understands
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 extra
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 want MRI and xrays.
MEDICINE AND SPINAL IMAGING
Interestingly, for years, medicine downplayed the idea
of imaging for spine problems. Today, medicine is 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 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 Vancouver
back pain specialist at Vancouver Disc Centers wants to be sure imaging is appropriate to the treatment plan for our back pain patients’ final
recovery and pain relief. We know that “seeing is believing” and
respect what imaging brings to the treatment plan when needed.
CONTACT Vancouver Disc Centers
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 Vancouver chiropractic appointment at
Vancouver Disc Centers 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. Vancouver Disc Centers believes in its relief. You can, too.