Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office Understands How Images Help a Back Pain Patient

“Seeing is believing.” That’s a popular saying. Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office understands that Groton back pain patients often would like to see the cause of their pain. (They already believe their pain!) Today, imaging does not always meet a patient’s desire to see the source if it is 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 what’s going on. But Groton back pain patients can believe that their Groton chiropractor will thoroughly explain to them the cause of their pain…and set a treatment plan to ease 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 findings, reducing radiation dose and performing more MRI than CT. These changes in turn decrease the cost of imaging. (1) Recommendations today are to hold off on imaging for 6-8 weeks of conservative treatment. Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office 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 scenarios for Groton back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your Groton chiropractor most of the time.

BACK PAIN SUFFERERS WANT TO “SEE”

Other times (and Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office totally gets this!) patients want to “see” their diagnosis. Words and descriptions and drawings are one thing, but imaging is a lot 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 diagnose the back pain condition. They are not alone as some healthcare professionals do, too. (2) That is 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 becomes more and more interested in it. For cervical spine myelopathy, for example, treating physicians rely on imaging to determine its severity. Particularly, a group 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 good points. Your Groton back pain specialist at Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office wants to be sure imaging is positively contributory to the treatment plan for our back pain patients’ final recovery and pain relief. We know that “seeing is believing” and respect what imaging contributes to the treatment plan when necessary.

CONTACT Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office

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 Groton chiropractic appointment at Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office 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. Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office believes in its relief. You can, too.