Murfreesboro Cervical Spine Pain: MRI-Seen Changes, & Plan for Care
Studying the cervical spine of neck pain sufferers who have MRIs noting some changes in the spine can be interesting, confusing, and/or (non)directive for treatment planning. Most Chiropractic Clinic always views imaging through the lens of the clinical symptomatology and spinal exam. Murfreesboro neck pain with imaging-revealed changes in the cervical spine will get a treatment plan based on both imaging (if/when available) and clinical exam findings.
MRI is an amazing technology. It is used commonly to evaluate intervertebral disc degeneration. When spine pain continues without relief while undergoing care for an extended period of time, performing imaging is logical and follows today’s guidelines for back pain management. The imaging findings must be linked with the clinical symptomatology seen in the clinical exam to guide the care for optimal relief. Modic Changes – vertebral bone endplate and bone marrow changes - are commonly noted when radiologists read the MRI and classify the level of disc degeneration: level 1 being the least degenerated and level 3 being the most degenerated. In the lumbar spine, more studies have been performed to correlate back pain symptoms with imaging findings. In the cervical spine, the studies are fewer. A review of 14 research studies regarding the link between neck pain and/or cervical spine disc degeneration to MRI-revealed Modic changes reported that cervical spine Modic changes were seen in 5% to 40% of the images. Patients whose MRIs revealed Modic changes described more neck pain and disability. Their imaging also demonstrated more cervical disc degeneration. (1) Recently, one MRI study of cervical spines of neck pain and shoulder stiffness patients reported that no system of classification of cervical disc degeneration correlated with clinical symptoms. However, the researchers did explain that vertebral endplate changes may be linked to clinical symptom presentations. (2) Chiropractic care can help pain due to disc degeneration and vertebral changes.
TREATMENT PLANNING
When [[companyname treats patients with MRI imaging displaying Modic changes, researchers and clinicians have been challenged to correlate effective non-surgical treatment options. Review of studies already published about the treatment of Modic change related back pain, in this review it was low back pain, found that spinal manipulation was advocated as an option. The review listed insufficient support for use of medication and rigid lumbar brace wearing, controversial use of antibiotics, and low evidence for exercise therapy to lower pain intensity. (3) Talk about imaging being interesting, confusing, and/or (non)directive! One treatment your Murfreesboro chiropractor knowledgeably and safely provides is spinal manipulation for neck pain and back pain relief often before and/or despite imaging. Most Chiropractic Clinic keeps doing what works for our patients.
CONTACT Most Chiropractic Clinic
Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. Matthew Scott on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he explains the effective, gentle treatment with the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for his patient with cervical spine disc degeneration and herniation that allowed him to avoid spine surgery.
Make your next Murfreesboro chiropractic appointment with Most Chiropractic Clinic. MRIs and Modic changes won’t mislead your chiropractor when it comes to setting up a neck pain relieving cervical spine treatment plan.
