Montreal Cervical Spine Pain: MRI-Seen Changes, & Plan for Care
Studying the cervical spine of neck pain patients with MRI imaging can be interesting, confusing, and/or (non)directive for treatment planning. Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic always views imaging through the lens of the clinical symptomatology and spinal exam. Montreal neck pain with imaging-revealed changes in the cervical spine will receive 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 correlated 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 review 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 done to correlate back pain symptoms with imaging findings. In the cervical spine, the studies are scarcer. A review of 14 research studies regarding the link 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 expressed more neck pain and disability. Their imaging also demonstrated more cervical disc degeneration. (1) Recently, an MRI study of cervical spines of neck pain and shoulder stiffness patients stated that no classification system of cervical disc degeneration showed any relationship to clinical symptoms. However, the researchers did mention that vertebral endplate changes may be linked to clinical symptom presentations. (2) Disc degeneration and vertebral changes causing pain can be addressed with chiropractic care.
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 previously published about the treatment of Modic change associated back pain, in this case it was low back pain, revealed that spinal manipulation was suggested as an option. The review recorded insufficient support for use of medication and rigid lumbar brace wearing, controversial use of antibiotics, and low evidence for exercise therapy to decrease pain intensity. (3) Talk about imaging being interesting, confusing, and/or (non)directive! One thing your Montreal chiropractor knowledgeably and safely delivers is spinal manipulation for neck pain and back pain relief manytimes before and/or in spite of imaging. Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic stays the course with what our experience tells us is good for our patients.
CONTACT Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic
Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. Matthew Scott on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he explains the effectiveness and gentleness of 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 Montreal chiropractic appointment with Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic. MRIs and Modic changes won’t confuse your chiropractor when it comes to setting up a neck pain relieving cervical spine treatment plan.
