Apple Country Chiropractic Understands How Images Help a Back Pain Patient

“Seeing is believing.” Ever heard that saying before? Apple Country Chiropractic bets you have. Apple Country Chiropractic understands that Williamson back pain patients often wish to see the cause of their pain. (They already believe their pain!) Today, imaging does not always fulfill 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 what’s going on. But Williamson back pain patients can believe that their Williamson chiropractor will thoroughly tell them the cause of their pain…and set a treatment plan to alleviate that pain.

THE GOOD OF IMAGING

Imaging recommendations today are 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 findings, decreasing radiation dose and performing 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. Apple Country 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 a month goes by without such improvement, imaging is ordered. These are positive scenarios for Williamson back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your Williamson chiropractor most of the time.

BACK PAIN SUFFERERS WANT TO “SEE”

Other times (and Apple Country Chiropractic totally gets 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 added layer of curiosity as it’s “non-specific” and does not always have an obvious cause 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 like MRI and xrays.

MEDICINE AND SPINAL IMAGING

Interestingly, for years, medicine downplayed the concept 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 ascertain the severity of it. Specifically, a set of researchers looked at the possibility of how imaging helped visualize the relationship between lumbopelvic alignment and cervical alignment and subsequent cervical spine myelopathy severity. (3) Imaging has its good points. Your Williamson back pain specialist at Apple Country Chiropractic wants to be sure imaging is positively contributory to the treatment plan for our back pain patients’ final recovery and pain relief. We realize that “seeing is believing” and respect what imaging contributes to the treatment plan when needed.

CONTACT Apple Country 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 Williamson chiropractic appointment at Apple Country Chiropractic to understand your back pain and its relieving treatment plan whether you can see the cause or not because you definitely already believe you have pain. Apple Country Chiropractic believes in its relief. You can, too.