Tests – what are they good for?
When it comes to back pain tests, of
MRIs that question must be questioned. What are MRIs good
for when the percentage
of constructive, influential MRI studies is so little?
False positive MRI results upset those who get
such results. They inspire fear or caution where it’s not always warranted. MRIs like this confuse the
proper treatment plan. They spend a lot of money.
McMurray Chiropractic Solutions carefully evaluates the necessity of
MRI in the San Jose chiropractic treatment plan of San Jose
back pain relief.
MEDICINE’S VIEW
Interpretations of MRI images by
radiologists often differ.
The true-positive finding rate was 56.4%, and the miss-rate was 43.6%. (1)
MRI imaging may trigger misleading suspicion. When
following the guidelines of the American College of Radiology, 93% of lumbar
spine MRIs were appropriate. Of those, only 13% revealed
anything suspicious. Of the 36 MRIs that provoked
suspicion of cancer or infection, 81% were false-positive. 59% of the follow-up
MRIs on those suspicious findings were false positives. (2) MRI imaging may mislead.
For example, MRI shows that the presence of
disc degeneration in asymptomatic persons – persons with no back pain – grows
with age: 37% in 20 year olds and 96% in
80 year olds; disc bulges: 30% to 84%; disc protrusion: 29% to 43%; annular
fissures 19% to 29%. These imaging findings indicate that
these are signs of normal aging. They remind all doctors, remind chiropractors
like yours at McMurray Chiropractic Solutions, to correlate all such
findings to patient symptoms. (1,3) Your San Jose
chiropractor does this!
CHIROPRACTIC’S VIEW
Choosing Wisely guidelines for American chiropractors suggest30
not repeating spinal imaging and not obtaining spinal imaging for
patients with acute low back pain in the first 6 weeks of back pain (except when “red flags” are present– issues that indicate
something more worrisome). (4) A review of the effectiveness
of the Canadian Choosing Wisely recommendations for imaging nonspecific spinal
pain and symptoms stated that there is very low risk of missing
a worrying cause of back pain. (5) The objective
of guidelines is less imaging, fewer false positives. McMurray Chiropractic Solutions wants what is
best for our San Jose chiropractic care patients.
COX® TECHNIC’S VIEW
Chiropractors like yours at McMurray Chiropractic Solutions study
all the symptoms, tests and images our San Jose chiropractic back
pain patients bring with them39] their first [[targetlocation
chiropractic visit. So many back pain patients come to McMurray Chiropractic Solutions with MRI images already in-hand. McMurray Chiropractic Solutions will study them but will rely more on clinical exam findings and link them to what the MRI shows.
A rule of thumb with the Cox Technic System of Back Pain Relief is to seek 50% reduction of back pain in the first month
of care before arranging additional imaging or
testing or arranging surgical consultation. (6)
CONTACT McMurray Chiropractic Solutions
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Dan Clark on the Back Doctor’s Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes imaging for back pain in the scheme of treatment
for pain relief.
Schedule your San Jose chiropractic appointment
with McMurray Chiropractic Solutions today. Let us discover together
the best path to San Jose back pain relief – with or without MRI
imaging!
"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."