Pflugerville 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. Pflugerville Wellness Center always considers imaging through the lens of the clinical symptomatology and spinal exam. Pflugerville 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 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: 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 regarding 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) Of late, one 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 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 it comes to chiropractic treatment of patients with MRI imaging showing Modic changes, researchers and clinicians have been challenged to correlate effective non-surgical treatment options. Review of studies currently published about the treatment of Modic change associated back pain, in this review it was low back pain, revealed 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 exercise therapy’s use to lower back pain intensity as having low evidence support. (3) Do you see how imaging can be interesting, confusing, and/or (non)directive? One thing your Pflugerville chiropractor proficiently and safely delivers is spinal manipulation for neck pain and back pain relief often before and/or in spite of imaging. Pflugerville Wellness Center keeps doing what works for our patients.

CONTACT Pflugerville Wellness Center

Listen to the PODCAST with Dr. Matthew Scott on the Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he shares 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 Pflugerville chiropractic appointment with Pflugerville Wellness Center. 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.