“Seeing is believing.” Ever heard that saying before? New Hampshire Spine and Sport bets you have. New Hampshire Spine and Sport knows that Southern New Hampshire back pain patients often would like to see the source of their pain. (They already believe their pain!) Currently, imaging does not always satisfy a patient’s desire to see the cause if it is because 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 what’s going on. But Southern New Hampshire back pain patients can believe that their Southern New Hampshire 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 decreasing 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 performing more MRI than CT. These efforts in turn decrease the cost of imaging. (1) Recommendations today are to hold off on imaging for 6-8 weeks of conservative treatment. New Hampshire Spine and Sport 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 30 days during which time 50% improvement is sought. If 30 days goes by without such improvement, imaging is ordered. These are positive situations for Southern New Hampshire back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your Southern New Hampshire chiropractor typically.
BACK PAIN SUFFERERS WANT TO “SEE”
Other times (and New Hampshire Spine and Sport 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 additional 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 diagnose 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 rely on imaging to determine its severity. Particularly, a set 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 positives. Your Southern New Hampshire back pain specialist at New Hampshire Spine and Sport wants to be sure imaging is appropriate 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 New Hampshire Spine and Sport
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Dan Clark on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes how valuable imaging can be for a patient’s treatment plan and final outcome of care.
Schedule your Southern New Hampshire chiropractic appointment at New Hampshire Spine and Sport to more fully comprehend your back pain and its relieving treatment plan whether you can see the cause or not because you certainly already believe you have pain. New Hampshire Spine and Sport believes in its relief. You can, too.