It is estimated that 85% of all Americans will experience low back pain at some point during their lifetime. What is more astonishing is that, with all of our sophisticated equipment and expert knowledge, we really do not know the true cause of the pain. So we know what you are thinking; Do I need a MRI for my low back pain?
We do know that most cases of low back pain are self-resolving within 2 weeks, meaning that with only conservative management and time, you will heal. It is very common for an individual to become very anxious about the intensity of their low back pain symptoms, causing them to seek medical attention. All too often an order for diagnostic imaging is placed and the individual finds themselves undergoing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT scan) procedure, and then have to await the results; disk degeneration, gasp! Disk bulging, oh my! Or, the ever popular, disk herniation, Oh no!
Results like these can increase the anxiety of a patient, cause them to hinder their ability to progress towards recovery due to fear of movement, and/or increase the overall health care cost by prescribing expensive pharmaceuticals and unnecessary doctor’s visits.
MRI Machine
The fact is that all of the MRI and CT scan findings of the low back, such as bulging, degeneration, and herniation, are a normal part of the aging process and may not be associated with pain symptoms at all.
Studies that were published in the Spine journal and the journal of Neuroradiology revealed that when a group of pain free subjects were given an MRI examination, up to 37% of 20 year olds, 80% of 50 year olds, and 96% of 80 year olds showed disk degeneration or bulging. This provides evidence that there is a high likelihood that your low back pain may not be caused by what the MRI revealed and your condition may not be as serious as what these tests indicate.
So, if you experience low back pain, or have received some very scary news regarding a recent MRI of your low back, don’t be afraid. Call us at Innovative Physical Therapy (904) 280-2002. We’ll get you moving again!
