Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka Questions The Curiosity of MRIs
MRI. What does it do for Sitka back pain and related leg pain? That’s a intriguing question. Diagnosing Sitka lumbar spinal stenosis doesn’t always need an MRI for a definitive diagnosis. MRI images can be revealing…and calling for clinical tests to determine what those images really mean. An MRI is a recognized test to many Sitka chiropractic patients seeking Sitka back pain relief, but the MRI’s timing and outcomes require careful consideration as to when they’re ordered and what they really indicate for the chiropractic treatment of spinal stenosis at Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka.
HOW TO DIAGNOSE Sitka STENOSIS
Spinal stenosis is a normal condition and the most usual indicator for spinal back surgery in the over-65 age set of people. With the expansion of this group, by 2025 59% of them are expected to have spinal stenosis. (1) Often your Sitka chiropractor can identify spinal stenosis with just a few questions and physical examination findings with no an MRI. Your Sitka chiropractor may use the MRI as a verifying test of the Sitka chiropractic clinical examination diagnosis already made just by seeing you.
WHAT THE Sitka MRI SHOWS
In the event of a disc extrusion triggering spinal stenosis where the Sitka herniated disc leaks out of its outer bands and oozes into the spinal canal physically constricting and chemically inflaming the spinal nerve, an MRI revealing this often bodes well for the MRI’s patient. A year later, whether managed with surgery or without, the back-related sciatica patient had less leg pain. In this case an MRI does not help much in influencing which patient would do better with early surgery or long conservative care. (2) And the healing of these Sitka spinal stenosis related extrusions takes time and good, guided care like that from Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka.
Understand that as rates for spinal surgery increase – ten times across the US – so too do the rates of advanced spinal imaging. In a study, cities with more MRIs saw more spine surgeries (and spinal stenosis surgery exactly). (3) Know too that what a surgeon makes out on MRI influences how he or she handles the spinal back surgery for stenosis. He/She considers the degree and location of nerve compression as well as degenerative changes at adjacent levels. Experienced surgeons agreed more with each other’s understandings of MRI images than less experienced surgeons. (1) Experienced chiropractors like yours at Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka also are more proficient at picking up on Sitka spinal stenosis as the diagnosis.
WHAT TO DO FOR Sitka STENOSIS AND SCIATICA
Treat it actively. Don’t depend on passive care like bed rest. That is old school care. Give it time. Participate in the active, conservative care your Sitka chiropractor shares with you for at least 6-8 weeks to see some change because there’s no clear difference between surgical (though quicker relief may come) and non-surgical care after a year or two. (4) Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka uses the a href="/chiropractic-topics/spinal-stenosis-relief-with-chiropractic-cox-technic" target="_self" style="cursor: pointer;" >Cox Technic System of Spine Pain Management for Sitka spinal stenosis and back pain relief care. The 50% Rule guides treatment frequency and treatment progress and decision-making as to when/if an MRI is required (if you’ve not had one taken) or surgical or other care consultation becomes necessary.
CONTACT Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
Schedule a Sitka chiropractic appointment to visit your Sitka chiropractic back pain specialist about your Sitka back pain and sciatica to take the curiosity out of the question about MRI’s role in your Sitka back pain treatment plan.
