Back Pain Imaging and Exercise
Spinal imaging reveals much about a Williamson back pain and leg pain sufferers’ condition. Imaging must be carefully considered, of course, for what it reveals as well as how various imaging methods compare to others. Apple Country Chiropractic welcomes all the input you can bring with you, the Williamson back pain patient, as well as your imaging and exam findings to individualize your Williamson chiropractic treatment plan for pain relief.
DISC HERNIATION AND Williamson BACK PAIN
Disc herniation and leg and/or back pain tend to come together, too, but so much more may be involved: disc degeneration, ruptured annulus fibrosus, irritation and compression of nerve roots and cauda equina from the herniation itself. A newer study traced the effects of exercise on a disc herniation’s neuromechanical compression, its inflammatory chemical stimulation, and its autoimmune response. (1) Imaging shows nice pictures of the disc herniation…that Apple Country Chiropractic correlates with your symptoms!
BACK PAIN AND IMAGING
Back pain and imaging tend to go together. When someone experiences back pain, xrays, CTs, and MRIs come to mind. Just what do these display? A study analyzed images of symptomatic patients to asymptomatic persons. MR imaging of those with back pain showed that various measurements were different: anteroposterior diameter dimensions of the vertebral canal varied, transverse diameter was smaller, and thecal sac area was smaller. (2) Caution is warranted in comparing neuroforaminal measurements from CT scans and plain film as a study found that in patients who didn’t have back pain plain film measurements were larger compared to those on CT. (3) Another imaging finding your Williamson chiropractor is very aware of is called Modic change. It’s another imaging finding that is quite revealing in that Modic change (mainly type II) is associated with abdominal aortic calcification by way of a lower blood supply or even poorer systemic vascularization because of atherosclerotic disease. (4) It’s another insight we can utilize to determine what is going on in your spine. Finally, a spinal imaging finding that is quite common in back pain patients is fatty infiltration of the paraspinal muscles, more so in patients with degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. (5) We look for that on MRI images though it’s hard to miss! Another good reason to start a good spinal exercise program!
EXERCISE & SPINE PAIN RELIEF
Exercise may be quite helpful in managing the lumbar disc herniation which is why Apple Country Chiropractic incorporates some simple lumbar spine exercises to start on day one. We encourage our back pain patients to continue performing these easy exercises and are happy to back anyone who wants to do more...after we talk!
CONTACT Apple Country Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Lee Hazen on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes a case of degenerative spondylolisthesis that reacted well to treatment with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Make your Williamson chiropractic appointment soon to see us! Whether you have spinal imaging currently or need it, your Williamson chiropractor can assist in making sense of its relevance to your journey to back pain relief.
