Connected Chiropractic Understands How Images Help a Back Pain Patient

“Seeing is believing.” Ever heard that saying before? Connected Chiropractic bets you have. Connected Chiropractic knows that Elgin back pain patients many times would like to see the cause of their pain. (They believe they have pain by now!) Currently, imaging does not always meet a patient’s desire to see the cause if it’s 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 the cause. But Elgin back pain patients can believe that their Elgin chiropractor will thoroughly explain to them the cause of their pain…and set a treatment plan to alleviate that pain.

THE GOOD OF IMAGING

Imaging recommendations today 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 changes in turn reduce the cost of imaging. (1) Recommendations today are to no do imaging for 6-8 weeks of conservative treatment. Connected 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 30 days during which time 50% improvement is sought. If 30 days goes by without such improvement, imaging is ordered. These are win-win scenarios for Elgin back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your Elgin chiropractor typically.

BACK PAIN SUFFERERS WANT TO “SEE”

Other times (and Connected Chiropractic 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 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 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 like 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 instance, treating physicians rely on imaging to ascertain its severity. Specifically, a group of researchers looked at the possibility of how imaging helped see the relationship between lumbopelvic alignment and cervical alignment and subsequent cervical spine myelopathy severity. (3) Imaging has its good points. Your Elgin back pain specialist at Connected Chiropractic wants to be sure imaging is positively contributory to the treatment plan for our back pain patients’ ultimate recovery and pain relief. We know that “seeing is believing” and respect what imaging contributes to the treatment plan when necessary.

CONTACT Connected 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 Elgin chiropractic appointment at Connected Chiropractic to more fully comprehend your back pain and its relieving treatment plan whether you can see its source or not because you certainly already believe you have pain. Connected Chiropractic believes in its relief. You can, too.