Ashburn and Herndon Cervical Spine Pain: MRI-Seen Changes, & Plan for Care
Analyzing the cervical spine of neck pain sufferers with MRI imaging can be interesting, confusing, and/or (non)directive for treatment planning. Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn always considers imaging through the lens of the clinical symptomatology and spinal exam. Ashburn and Herndon 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 persists even with 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 correlated with the clinical symptomatology found 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 with level 1 being the least degenerated and level 3 being the most degenerated. More lumbar spine 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 about the connection between neck pain and/or cervical spine disc degeneration to MRI-revealed Modic changes described that cervical spine Modic changes were present in 5% to 40% of the images. Patients whose MRIs showed Modic changes stated 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 classification system of cervical disc degeneration showed any relationship to clinical symptoms. However, the researchers did explain that vertebral endplate changes may be connected to clinical symptom presentations. (2) Chiropractic care can help pain due to disc degeneration and vertebral changes.
TREATMENT PLANNING
When it comes to chiropractic treatment of patients with MRI imaging presenting Modic changes, researchers and clinicians have been challenged to correlate effective non-surgical treatment options. Review of studies previously published about the care of Modic change related back pain, in this case it was low back pain, found that spinal manipulation was suggested as an option. The review recorded insufficient support for medication use and rigid lumbar brace wearing, controversial use of antibiotics, and low evidence for exercise therapy to lower pain intensity. (3) Do you see how imaging can be interesting, confusing, and/or (non)directive? One treatment your Ashburn and Herndon chiropractor proficiently and safely delivers is spinal manipulation for neck pain and back pain relief manytimes before and/or in spite of imaging. Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn stays the course with what we see is good for our patients.
CONTACT Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn
Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. Matthew Scott on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he shares 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 Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic appointment with Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn. MRIs and Modic changes will not confuse your chiropractor when it comes to setting up a neck pain relieving treatment plan for your cervical spine issues.
