Johnson Chiropractic Understands How Images Help a Back Pain Patient

“Seeing is believing.” That’s a popular saying. Johnson Chiropractic knows that Richmond back pain patients often wish to see the source of their pain. (They believe they have pain by now!) Today, imaging does not always fulfill a patient’s desire to see the cause if it is due to an issue like chemical irritation when disc material leaks out to a nerve root, so imaging can only go so far in meeting a patient’s desire to see what’s going on. But Richmond back pain patients can believe that their Richmond chiropractor will thoroughly explain to them the cause of their pain…and set a treatment plan to alleviate 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 careful examination of low back pain patients for more specific indications, decreasing radiation dose and doing more MRI than CT. These efforts in turn reduce the cost of imaging. (1) Recommendations today are to no do imaging for 6-8 weeks of conservative treatment. Johnson Chiropractic 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 situations for Richmond back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your Richmond chiropractor typically.

BACK PAIN SUFFERERS WANT TO “SEE”

Other times (and Johnson Chiropractic totally understands 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 is “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’s probably why patients and their healthcare providers want MRI and xrays.

MEDICINE AND SPINAL IMAGING

Interestingly, for years, medicine downplayed the concept of imaging for spine issues. Today, medicine becomes more and more interested in it. For cervical spine myelopathy, for instance, treating physicians depend on imaging to ascertain the severity of it. Specifically, 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 Richmond back pain specialist at Johnson Chiropractic 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 Johnson Chiropractic

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Dan Clark on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes how useful imaging can be for a patient’s treatment plan and final outcome of care.

Schedule your Richmond chiropractic appointment at Johnson 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. Johnson Chiropractic believes in its relief. You can, too.