“Seeing is believing.” Ever heard
that saying before? Executive Chiropractic of Iowa bets you have. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa knows
that West Des Moines back pain patients many times would
like to see the source of their pain. (They already believe
their pain!) Currently, imaging doesn’t always satisfy a patient’s desire to see the cause
if it’s the result 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 West Des Moines back pain patients can believe that
their West Des Moines chiropractor will thoroughly explain to
them the cause of their pain…and set a treatment plan to ease
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 carefully examining low back pain patients for more specific indications,
reducing 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. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa 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 30 days pass 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 typically.
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, but imaging is much more personal.
When it comes to non-specific back pain, there is an extra
layer of curiosity as it’s “non-specific” and doesn’t
always have an obvious cause 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 issues. Today, medicine is more
and more interested in it. For cervical spine myelopathy, for instance,
treating physicians depend on imaging to ascertain its
severity. Particularly, a set
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 appropriate 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.
CONTACT Executive Chiropractic of Iowa
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Dan Clark on The Back
Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he explains 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 definitely already believe you
have pain. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa believes in its relief. You can, too.