West Des Moines Cervical Spine Pain: MRI-Seen Changes, & Plan for Care
Analyzing the cervical spine of neck pain sufferers with MRI imaging can be interesting, confusing, and/or (non)directive for treatment planning. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa always views imaging through the lens of the clinical symptomatology and spinal examination. West Des Moines neck pain with imaging-revealed changes in the cervical spine will receive a treatment plan based on both imaging (if/when available) and clinical exam findings.
MRI is an amazing technology. It is used commonly to evaluate intervertebral disc degeneration. When spine pain persists even with care for an extended period of time, having imaging done is logical and follows today’s guidelines for back pain management. The imaging findings must be correlated with the clinical symptomatology found in the clinical exam to guide the care for optimal relief. Modic Changes – vertebral bone endplate and bone marrow changes - are commonly noted when radiologists review the MRI and classify the level of disc degeneration with level 1 being the least degenerated and level 3 being the most degenerated. In the lumbar spine, more studies have been done to correlate back pain symptoms with imaging findings. In the cervical spine, the studies are fewer. A review of 14 research studies about the link between neck pain and/or cervical spine disc degeneration to MRI-revealed Modic changes reported that cervical spine Modic changes were present in 5% to 40% of the images. Patients whose MRIs showed Modic changes stated more neck pain and disability. Their imaging also showed more cervical disc degeneration. (1) Recently, one MRI study of cervical spines of neck pain and shoulder stiffness patients stated that no classification system of cervical disc degeneration correlated with clinical symptoms. However, the researchers did mention that vertebral endplate changes may be linked to clinical symptom presentations. (2) Disc degeneration and vertebral changes causing pain can be addressed with chiropractic care.
TREATMENT PLANNING
When it comes to chiropractic treatment of patients with MRI imaging showing Modic changes, researchers and clinicians have been challenged to correlate effective non-surgical treatment options. Review of studies previously published about the care of Modic change associated back pain, in this case it was low back pain, revealed that spinal manipulation was suggested as an option. The review recorded insufficient support for medication use and rigid lumbar brace wearing, antibiotics’ use as controversial, and low evidence for exercise therapy to decrease pain intensity. (3) Talk about imaging being interesting, confusing, and/or (non)directive! One thing your West Des Moines chiropractor proficiently and safely delivers is spinal manipulation for neck pain and back pain relief often before and/or despite imaging. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa stays the course with what we see helps our patients.
CONTACT Executive Chiropractic of Iowa
Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. Matthew Scott on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he shares the effectiveness and gentleness of the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for his patient with cervical spine disc degeneration and herniation that allowed him to avoid spine surgery.
Make your next West Des Moines chiropractic appointment with Executive Chiropractic of Iowa. MRIs and Modic changes won’t mislead your chiropractor when it comes to establishing a neck pain relieving cervical spine treatment plan.
