For this post, I want to give you a little sneak peak into my book Misdiagnosed and Misunderstood. One of the most important topics that I discuss is the over-use of imaging (i.e., X-rays, MRIs, etc) when trying to diagnose pain. In this post, I’ll talk about what imaging is good for, what it is not good for, and how you should go about finding the root cause of your pain.
A very common method of diagnosing pain has become imaging. If a quick physical exam cannot produce a confident conclusion on why you are in pain, most physicians will turn to imaging for the explanation. Unfortunately, imaging does not have a great track record for explaining pain. Don’t get me wrong, imaging is fantastic for finding more serious and immediate threats, such as a tumor, broken bone, or full muscle tear, but what it does not prove is why we are in pain.
Given the regularity of using scans to diagnose pain, a lot of people walk into my office telling me that an X-ray or MRI found details like bulging discs, degenerative disc disease, bursitis, stenosis, etcetera, because the imaging picked up on something that shouldn’t show up in a perfect X-ray or MRI.
But our bodies are not going to be perfect. When you look at the statistics on how well imaging represents people that are in pain, there is overwhelming evidence that imperfections are going to show up on scans in people who are symptomatic AND asymptomatic (with pain and without pain. In other words, imaging is really not a reliable source for telling you why you’re in pain, but unfortunately a lot of people are following these really long rabbit holes of medications, injections, and surgery on the basis that these images are accurate representations of their pain.
This image is a perfect representation of this point:
Here are a few of the highlights…of 1211 people without pain, 87.6% showed a disc bulge in their imaging. Of 53 people without pain, 72% showed a SLAP tear (tear in the labrum).
Maybe you’re one of the lucky few whose imaging told you EXACTLY why you’re in pain, but for the rest of us, an understanding of the root cause is the ONLY way we’re going to find relief.
Someone needs to look at your movement, understand when you hurt, when you don’t hurt, what you do during the day, and so many other factors that affect your recovery, and frankly a 15-minute visit where you barely scratch the surface just doesn’t cover it.
That’s EXACTLY why we offer a discovery visit. Check that – a FREE DISCOVERY VISIT…where we do everything that we need to in order to confidently tell you what is causing your pain, why it’s sticking around, and what you need to do to eliminate it. No expensive imaging that won’t tell us what the real problem is.
The discovery is there to help you make the best decision possible about your healthcare. You need answers, and we believe you deserve them. So what are you waiting for?…
To apply for one of our limited free discovery visits, click the following link:
https://sheltonmp.com/free-discovery
and someone will reach out shortly.
Image Citations
Image 1) Asymptomatic Findings. Digital Image. JevnEHelse. https://jevnehelse.no/.