Manahawkin Chiropractic Center Understands How Images Help a Back Pain Patient

“Seeing is believing.” That’s a popular saying. Manahawkin Chiropractic Center knows that Manahawkin back pain patients many times want to see the cause of their pain. (They already believe their pain!) Today, imaging does not always meet a patient’s desire to see the source if it’s 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 Manahawkin back pain patients can believe that their Manahawkin chiropractor will thoroughly tell them the cause of their pain…and set a treatment plan to alleviate that pain.

THE GOOD OF IMAGING

Today’s imaging recommendations are all about reducing imaging exposure and cost. The concern of radiation exposure is being dealt with by carefully examining low back pain patients for more specific indications, reducing radiation dose and performing more MRI than CT. These changes in turn decrease the cost of imaging. (1) Recommendations today are to hold off on imaging for 6-8 weeks of conservative treatment. Manahawkin Chiropractic Center 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 a month during which time 50% improvement is sought. If a month pass without such improvement, imaging is ordered. These are win-win scenarios for Manahawkin back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your Manahawkin chiropractor most of the time.

BACK PAIN SUFFERERS WANT TO “SEE”

Other times (and Manahawkin Chiropractic Center totally understands 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 extra layer of curiosity as it is “non-specific” and doesn’t always have an obvious cause 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 issues. Today, medicine is more and more interested in it. For cervical spine myelopathy, for example, treating physicians depend on imaging to ascertain its severity. Particularly, a set of researchers looked at the possibility of how imaging helped see the relationship between lumbopelvic alignment and cervical alignment and resulting cervical spine myelopathy severity. (3) Imaging has its positives. Your Manahawkin back pain specialist at Manahawkin Chiropractic Center wants to be sure imaging is positively contributory to the treatment plan for our back pain patients’ ultimate recovery and pain relief. We realize that “seeing is believing” and respect what imaging contributes to the treatment plan when needed.

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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 Manahawkin chiropractic appointment at Manahawkin Chiropractic Center to more fully comprehend your back pain and its relieving treatment plan whether you can see the cause or not because you definitely already believe you have pain. Manahawkin Chiropractic Center believes in its relief. You can, too.