Satterwhite Chiropractic Understands How Images Help a Back Pain Patient

“Seeing is believing.” Ever heard that saying before? Satterwhite Chiropractic bets you have. Satterwhite Chiropractic understands that Oxford back pain patients often would like to see the source of their pain. (They believe they have pain by now!) Today, imaging does not 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 meeting a patient’s desire to see the cause. But Oxford back pain patients can believe that their Oxford 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 are all about reducing 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 performing more MRI than CT. These changes in turn reduce the cost of imaging. (1) Recommendations today are to hold off on imaging for 6-8 weeks of conservative treatment. Satterwhite Chiropractic 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 a month pass without such improvement, imaging is ordered. These are positive situations for Oxford back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your Oxford chiropractor typically.

BACK PAIN SUFFERERS WANT TO “SEE”

Other times (and Satterwhite Chiropractic 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 additional layer of curiosity as it’s “non-specific” and does not always have a glaring cause 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 problems. Today, medicine is more and more interested in it. For cervical spine myelopathy, for instance, treating physicians rely on imaging to ascertain the severity of it. Particularly, a group of researchers considered the possibility that imaging helped visualize the relationship between lumbopelvic alignment and cervical alignment and subsequent cervical spine myelopathy severity. (3) Imaging has its positives. Your Oxford back pain specialist at Satterwhite Chiropractic wants to be sure imaging is appropriate 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 needed.

CONTACT Satterwhite Chiropractic

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 Oxford chiropractic appointment at Satterwhite Chiropractic to understand your back pain and its relieving treatment plan whether you can see the cause or not because you definitely already believe you have pain. Satterwhite Chiropractic believes in its relief. You can, too.