Young Chiropractic Understands How Images Help a Back Pain Patient

“Seeing is believing.” That’s a popular saying. Young Chiropractic understands that Easley back pain patients many times would like to see the cause of their pain. (They already believe their pain!) Currently, imaging doesn’t always satisfy a patient’s desire to see the source if it is because 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 Easley back pain patients can believe that their Easley chiropractor will thoroughly tell them the cause of their pain…and set a treatment plan to ease that pain.

THE GOOD OF IMAGING

Imaging recommendations today seem to be all about decreasing imaging exposure and cost. The concern of radiation exposure is being dealt with by careful examination of 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. Young 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 a month during which time 50% improvement is sought. If 30 days goes by without such improvement, imaging is ordered. These are positive situations for Easley back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your Easley chiropractor typically.

BACK PAIN SUFFERERS WANT TO “SEE”

Other times (and Young Chiropractic totally gets 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 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 likely why patients and their healthcare providers like MRI and xrays.

MEDICINE AND SPINAL IMAGING

Interestingly, for years, medicine downplayed the idea of imaging for spine issues. Today, medicine becomes more and more interested in it. For cervical spine myelopathy, for instance, treating physicians rely on imaging to determine its severity. Particularly, a group of researchers considered the possibility that imaging helped see the relationship between lumbopelvic alignment and cervical alignment and subsequent cervical spine myelopathy severity. (3) Imaging has its positives. Your Easley back pain specialist at Young Chiropractic 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 Young 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 Easley chiropractic appointment at Young Chiropractic to understand your back pain and its relieving treatment plan whether you can see the cause or not because you certainly already believe you have pain. Young Chiropractic believes in its relief. You can, too.