Executive Chiropractic of Iowa Understands How Images Help a Back Pain Patient

“Seeing is believing.” That’s a popular saying. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa knows that West Des Moines back pain patients often want to see the cause of their pain. (They already believe their pain!) Currently, imaging does not always satisfy a patient’s desire to see the source if it’s the result of an issue like chemical irritation when disc material is on a nerve root, so imaging can only go so far in meeting a patient’s desire to see the cause. But West Des Moines back pain patients can believe that their West Des Moines 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 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 findings, reducing 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. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa 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 30 days during which time 50% improvement is sought. If 30 days goes by without such improvement, imaging is ordered. These are win-win situations for West Des Moines back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your West Des Moines chiropractor most of the time.

BACK PAIN SUFFERERS WANT TO “SEE”

Other times (and Executive Chiropractic of Iowa totally understands this!) patients want to “see” their diagnosis. Words and descriptions and drawings are one thing while imaging is a lot more personal. When it comes to non-specific back pain, there is an added layer of curiosity as it’s “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 is 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 determine the severity of it. Particularly, a group of researchers considered the possibility that imaging helped see the relationship between lumbopelvic alignment and cervical alignment and subsequent cervical spine myelopathy severity. (3) Imaging has its positives. Your West Des Moines back pain specialist at Executive Chiropractic of Iowa 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 necessary.

CONTACT Executive Chiropractic of Iowa

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

Schedule your West Des Moines chiropractic appointment at Executive Chiropractic of Iowa 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. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa believes in its relief. You can, too.