Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka Understands How Images Help a Back Pain Patient

“Seeing is believing.” Ever heard that saying before? Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka bets you have. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka knows that Sitka back pain patients often would like to see the cause of their pain. (They already believe their pain!) Today, 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 is on a nerve root, so imaging can only go so far in meeting a patient’s desire to see what’s going on. But Sitka back pain patients can believe that their Sitka chiropractor will thoroughly explain to them the cause of their pain…and set a treatment plan to alleviate that pain.

THE GOOD OF IMAGING

Imaging recommendations today seem to be all about reducing 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 changes in turn decrease the cost of imaging. (1) Recommendations today are to no do imaging for 6-8 weeks of conservative treatment. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka 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 Sitka back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your Sitka chiropractor most of the time.

BACK PAIN SUFFERERS WANT TO “SEE”

Other times (and Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka totally gets this!) patients want to “see” their diagnosis. Words and descriptions and drawings are one thing while imaging is much more personal. When it comes to non-specific back pain, there is an extra layer of curiosity as it is “non-specific” and doesn’t always have an obvious 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 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 problems. Today, medicine becomes more and more interested in it. For cervical spine myelopathy, for example, treating physicians depend on imaging to ascertain 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 Sitka back pain specialist at Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka wants to be sure imaging is positively contributory to the treatment plan for our back pain patients’ final recovery and pain relief. We realize that “seeing is believing” and respect what imaging contributes to the treatment plan when needed.

CONTACT Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Dan Clark on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes how valuable imaging can be for a patient’s treatment plan and final outcome of care.

Schedule your Sitka chiropractic appointment at Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka 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. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka believes in its relief. You can, too.