Back Pain Imaging and Exercise
Spinal imaging reveals much about a McHenry back pain and leg pain sufferers’ condition. Imaging must be reviewed carefully, of course, for what it reveals in addition to how various imaging methods compare to others. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic appreciates all the input from you, the McHenry back pain patient, as well as your imaging and exam findings to personalize your McHenry chiropractic treatment plan for pain relief.
DISC HERNIATION AND McHenry BACK PAIN
Disc herniation and leg and/or back pain tend to come together, too, but so much more may be involved: degenerative disc disease, ruptured annulus fibrosus, irritation and compression of nerve roots and cauda equina from the herniation itself. A recent study tracked the effects of exercise on a disc herniation’s neuromechanical compression, its inflammatory chemical stimulation, and its autoimmune response. (1) Imaging shows pretty pictures of the disc herniation…that OrthoIllinois Chiropractic associates with your symptoms!
BACK PAIN AND IMAGING
Back pain and imaging tend to go together. When someone has back pain, xrays, MRIs, and CTs come to mind. Just what do these display? A study compared images of back pain patients to asymptomatic persons. MR imaging of those with back pain showed that various measurements differed: anteroposterior diameter dimensions of the vertebral canal varied, transverse diameter was lesser, and thecal sac area was smaller. (2) Caution is necessary to compare neuroforaminal measurements from CT scans and plain film as a study found that in patients who didn’t have back pain plain film measurements were larger compared to those on CT. (3) Another imaging finding your McHenry chiropractor is quite aware of is termed Modic change. It’s another imaging finding that is quite revealing in that Modic change (mainly type II) is linked with abdominal aortic calcification via a lower blood supply or even poorer systemic vascularization because of atherosclerotic disease. (4) It’s another insight we can use to determine what’s going on in your spine. Finally, a spinal imaging finding that is quite common in back pain patients is fatty infiltration of the paraspinal muscles, more so in patients with degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. (5) We check the MRI images for that though it’s hard to miss! Another good reason to start a good spinal exercise program!
EXERCISE & SPINE PAIN RELIEF
Exercise may be quite helpful in dealing with the lumbar disc herniation which is why OrthoIllinois Chiropractic includes some simple lumbar spine exercises to begin on day one. We encourage our back pain patients to continue performing these easy exercises and are happy to support anyone who wants to do more...after we talk!
CONTACT OrthoIllinois Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Lee Hazen on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates a case of degenerative spondylolisthesis that responded well to treatment with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
Make your McHenry chiropractic appointment soon to see us! Whether you have spinal imaging already or need it, your McHenry chiropractor can help make sense of its significance in your journey to back pain relief.
