“Seeing is believing.” That’s a popular saying. Johnson Chiropractic knows
that Richmond back pain patients many times want to see the source of their pain. (They believe they have pain by now!) Today, 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 leaks out to a nerve root, so imaging
can only go so far in satisfying a patient’s desire to see the cause. But Richmond back pain patients can believe that
their Richmond 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 indications,
decreasing radiation dose and doing more MRI
than CT. These efforts in turn reduce the cost of
imaging. (1) Recommendations today are to hold off on imaging for 6-8 weeks of conservative treatment. Johnson Chiropractic 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 win-win situations for
Richmond back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your
Richmond chiropractor typically.
BACK PAIN SUFFERERS WANT TO “SEE”
Other times (and Johnson Chiropractic totally gets
this!) patients want to “see” their diagnosis. Words and descriptions and
drawings are one thing, but imaging is a lot 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 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 is probably 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 issues. Today, medicine is more
and more interested in it. For cervical spine myelopathy, for example,
treating physicians depend on imaging to determine its
severity. Particularly, a set
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 positives. Your Richmond
back pain specialist at Johnson Chiropractic wants to be sure imaging is positively
contributory 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 Johnson Chiropractic
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 Richmond chiropractic appointment at
Johnson Chiropractic to understand your back pain and
its relieving treatment plan whether you can see its source or
not because you definitely already believe you
have pain. Johnson Chiropractic believes in its relief. You can, too.