Back Pain Imaging and Exercise

Spinal imaging reveals much about a Nashua back pain and leg pain sufferers’ condition. Imaging must be carefully considered, of course, for what it shows as well as how various imaging methods compare to others. Moriarty Chiropractic appreciates all the input from you, the Nashua back pain patient, as well as your imaging and exam findings to individualize your Nashua chiropractic treatment plan for pain relief.

DISC HERNIATION AND Nashua 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, irritated and compressed nerve roots and cauda equina from the herniation itself. A newer study tracked the effects of exercise on a disc herniation’s neuromechanical compression, its inflammatory chemical stimulation, and its autoimmune response. (1) Imaging visualizes nice pictures of the disc herniation…that Moriarty Chiropractic correlates with your symptomatology!

BACK PAIN AND IMAGING

Back pain and imaging seem to go together. When someone has back pain, xrays, MRIs, and CTs come to mind. Just what do these show? 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 warranted in comparing neuroforaminal measurements from CT scans and plain film as a study found that in patients without back pain plain film measurements were larger compared to those on CT. (3) Another imaging finding your Nashua chiropractor is very aware of is called Modic change. It’s another imaging finding that is quite revealing in that Modic change (mainly type II) is linked with abdominal aortic calcification by way of a lower blood supply or even poorer systemic vascularization because of atherosclerotic disease. (4) It’s another insight we can use to determine what is 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 managing the lumbar disc herniation which is why Moriarty Chiropractic incorporates some simple lumbar spine exercises to start on day one. We inspire our back pain patients to keep doing these easy exercises and are happy to back anyone who wants to do more...after we talk!

CONTACT Moriarty Chiropractic

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Lee Hazen  on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes a case of degenerative spondylolisthesis that reacted well to treatment with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

Schedule your Nashua chiropractic appointment today to visit us! Whether you have spinal imaging already or need it, your Nashua chiropractor can assist in making sense of its significance in your path to back pain relief.