“Seeing is believing.” That’s a popular saying. Hollstrom & Associates Inc knows
that Largo back pain patients many times would
like to see the source of their pain. (They believe they have pain by now!) Today, imaging does
not always fulfill 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 meeting a patient’s desire to see what’s
going on. But Largo back pain patients can believe that
their Largo chiropractor will thoroughly tell
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 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 efforts in turn reduce the cost of
imaging. (1) Recommendations today are to hold off on imaging for 6-8 weeks of conservative treatment. Hollstrom & Associates Inc 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 a month pass without such improvement, imaging is ordered. These are win-win situations for
Largo back pain patients and their healthcare providers like your
Largo chiropractor typically.
BACK PAIN SUFFERERS WANT TO “SEE”
Other times (and Hollstrom & Associates Inc 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 added
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 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 depend on imaging to determine the severity of it. Specifically, a group
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 good points. Your Largo
back pain specialist at Hollstrom & Associates Inc 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 necessary.
CONTACT Hollstrom & Associates Inc
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 Largo chiropractic appointment at
Hollstrom & Associates Inc 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. Hollstrom & Associates Inc believes in its relief. You can, too.