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

Analyzing 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. Johnson Chiropractic always considers imaging through the lens of the clinical symptomatology and spinal exam. Richmond neck pain with imaging-revealed changes in the cervical spine will receive 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 linked with the clinical symptomatology found 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 review the MRI and classify the level of disc degeneration: level 1 being the least degenerated and level 3 being the most degenerated. In the lumbar spine, more 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 about 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 showed Modic changes described more neck pain and disability. Their imaging also demonstrated more cervical disc degeneration. (1) Of late, one MRI study of cervical spines of neck pain and shoulder stiffness patients stated that no system of classification of cervical disc degeneration correlated with clinical symptoms. However, the researchers did mention 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 been challenged to correlate effective non-surgical treatment options. Review of studies currently published about the care of Modic change associated back pain, in this review it was low back pain, found that spinal manipulation was proposed as an option. The review listed insufficient support for use of medication and rigid lumbar brace wearing, controversial use of antibiotics, and exercise therapy’s use to lower back pain intensity as having low evidence support. (3) Do you see how imaging can be interesting, confusing, and/or (non)directive? One thing your Richmond chiropractor knowledgeably and safely provides is spinal manipulation for neck pain and back pain relief manytimes before and/or in spite of imaging. Johnson Chiropractic stays the course with what we see helps our patients.

CONTACT Johnson 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 Richmond chiropractic appointment with Johnson Chiropractic. MRIs and Modic changes won’t mislead your chiropractor when it comes to setting up a neck pain relieving treatment plan for your cervical spine issues.