Plainville Cervical Spine Pain: MRI-Seen Changes, & Plan for Care

Studying the cervical spine of neck pain sufferers with MRI imaging can be interesting, confusing, and/or (non)directive for treatment planning. Layden Chiropractic always considers imaging through the lens of the clinical symptomatology and spinal examination. Plainville 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, having imaging done is logical and follows today’s guidelines for back pain management. The imaging findings must be linked 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 typically noted when radiologists review the MRI and classify the level of disc degeneration: level 1 being the least degenerated and level 3 being the most degenerated. In the lumbar spine, more studies have been done 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 revealed Modic changes stated 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 reported that no system of classification 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) 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 faced correlating effective non-surgical treatment options. Review of studies already published about the care of Modic change related back pain, in this review it was low back pain, found that spinal manipulation was advocated 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) Talk about imaging being interesting, confusing, and/or (non)directive! One thing your Plainville chiropractor knowledgeably and safely provides is spinal manipulation for neck pain and back pain relief often before and/or in spite of imaging. Layden Chiropractic stays the course with what our experience tells us helps our patients.

CONTACT Layden Chiropractic

Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. Matthew Scott on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes 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 Plainville chiropractic appointment with Layden Chiropractic. MRIs and Modic changes won’t mislead your chiropractor when it comes to establishing a neck pain relieving treatment plan for your cervical spine issues.