“Seeing is believing.” Ever heard
that saying before? Satterwhite Chiropractic bets you have. Satterwhite Chiropractic knows
that Oxford back pain patients often would
like to see the cause of their pain. (They believe they have pain by now!) Today, imaging doesn’t always fulfill a patient’s desire to see the source
if it is due to 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 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 alleviate
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 careful
examination of low back pain patients for more specific indications,
decreasing radiation dose and performing more MRI
than CT. These efforts in turn decrease the cost of
imaging. (1) Recommendations today are to no do imaging for 6-8 weeks of conservative treatment. Satterwhite Chiropractic 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 30 days during which time 50% improvement is sought. If 30 days pass without such improvement, imaging is ordered. These are win-win scenarios for
Oxford back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your
Oxford chiropractor most of the time.
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 while imaging is a lot more personal.
When it comes to non-specific back pain, there is an extra
layer of curiosity as it’s “non-specific” and does not
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’s 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 issues. Today, medicine is more
and more interested in it. For cervical spine myelopathy, for example,
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 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 realize that “seeing is believing” and
respect what imaging brings 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 more fully comprehend your back pain and
its relieving treatment plan whether you can see the cause or
not because you certainly already believe you
have pain. Satterwhite Chiropractic believes in its relief. You can, too.