MRIs are fascinating.
MRIs display pretty pictures of the body. Chiropractors appreciate spinal MRI images. Why? The spine is where chiropractors like
your Eugene chiropractor live day in and day out. Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic appreciates
the MRI image study for what it is: a tool.
But MRIs are not always a clinical necessity. Can MRI help decide whether a
surgical or non-surgical approach is appropriate for back pain relief? Read on for the latest
news.
The Usefulness
of MRI
When a
Eugene patient’s back pain, neck pain, arm pain or leg pain
symptoms denote the demand for an MRI,
Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic requests one for such a Eugene
back pain patient. MRI may enhance your
Eugene chiropractor’s clinical perception
of the condition oftentimes (but not always!). Pre-treatment and post-MRI studies
are interesting. Did the disc herniation reduce
now that the pain disappeared? Eugene
chiropractic patients will often ask that of Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic. And researchers
will examine MRIs for their research studies on just such
a question.
The Curiosity
of MRI
Researchers are
not the only ones who curiously survey
MRI images of low back pain sufferers to ascertain if there is any correlation
between pain and no pain and the MRI pre and post treatment for back pain. Patients wonder, too. Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic is
well aware that our Eugene back pain patients wonder!
Knowing
that doctors and patients dealing with back pain like MRIs, some
researchers set out to determine if MRI is of value in
determining how treatment outcomes will be for patients with sciatic
leg pain due to a herniated lumbar disc. They questioned
if MRI could help decide whether to do back surgery now or
stay the course with conservative care. Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic and the
Eugene chiropractic low back pain patients we treat would
love such a simple indicator! Study participants were
randomized to surgery or prolonged conservative care. Two findings – a disc
extrusion and nerve root compression on MRI in patients with less severe leg
pain – indicated a satisfactory outcome with either type
of care. Another interesting finding: the size of the disc herniation at the
beginning of care didn’t affect the outcome. The two groups revealed significant difference in outcomes between the two groups
– surgical and conservative. (1) Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic sees similar
reports more and more in the back pain research. Remember the Atlas studies of
surgical and non-surgical interventions for back pain and sciatica? There wasn’t much difference in those landmark
studies either: 50% vs. 53% non-surgical versus surgical for
back pain due to spinal stenosis (2) and 69% versus 61% surgical versus non-surgical for
sciatica (3).
Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic
Offers Chiropractic Non-Surgical Care of Disc Herniation
Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic
invites you to make a Eugene chiropractic
appointment today. Trust Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic to provide evidence-based chiropractic
care that relieves your spine pain many times without an MRI. Together,
we can create a non-surgical (and even potentially non-MRI!)
treatment plan to reduce your back pain.
Schedule your
Eugene chiropractic appointment today.
"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the
DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by
Dr. James M. Cox I."