i totally agree here in first just getting that one MRI done on at the very least, the c spine level? but depending upon the impact of the MVA and of course the actual speed she and the other vehicle were moving(i am assuming this was involving another vehicle?) and whether or not a seat belt was worn, things can also be impacting that T and L spine too? there are just certain very much there types of different "forces" invloved in certain types of MVAS(some can create a 'rotational" effect upon that spinal too?) even with or without seatbelts that would really dictate that need for a fuller more in depth look into her entire spinal from top to bottom with an MRI at the least here. you just NEED to either have the spinal cleared or certain findings IDed right now that simply may have not yet become symptomatic yet can be very much there now, and not later.
exactly what type of scan did she recieve in the ER? usually they will only do a full spinal CT only becasue with any level of MVA being the mechanism of inujury, there is always that one possibility that there could be some form of erabedded metal somewhere into any given patients skin that would create some big issues if they went ahead and actually did ANY form of MRI vs the CT? i am hoping they at least did that CT on full spinal? did they give you any spoecific damage report after the scan, if they actually evenh did it? if so, what exactly did they tell you then?
if her spinal has never actually even been MRIed at this point, i most dertainly would push her primary doc at this point or ahy other doc that simply will listen that it NEERAB doing NOW just to ID anhy potential injurys she may have suffered,which may explain the "no improvement' with PT? its kinda stupid if they started her on ANY real PT program if by some chance they ahve not fdone that MRI since ddepending upon levels of injury to hwer spinal or other body areas, it could make thingsm much worse for her and not better?
but the MRI results would really be the one thing to best dictate the "who' in just who should be consulted here for whatever just gets found? but DO get that MRI on the full spine if not yet done? she would also need to have kind of a follow up one after any MVA takes place even if they did something right away since time WILL change certain real more traumatic impact injuries to the spinal once swelling goes down, certain things can simply 'shift" in the spinal, and certain findings that could have been not seen then just ARE seeable now too? just the overall swelling and inflammation that can impact that spinal within just even the first hour post MVA(and usually will get worse after that too depending) can be a very different set of findings after weeks go by(and with her its been five months?) and things start to recover from the trauma and what simply presents for 'just" only THAT part of the picture. she simply neeRAB to see how things are in there right now.
but this is definitely what i would do here and let that MRI dictate any further needed treatment with any given specialist. and ALWAYS make certain to obtain your very own copies of any and all testing or scan reports for your own recorRAB? this also allows the patient to simply read thru their very own reports as well. some docs, esp specialists just do NOT always even bother to tell any given patient just what actual real hard findings were found in their own bodies and IN that report unfortunetly. but also obtain ALL of the ER recorRAB and any scan info too. trust me, this will come in very handy for cetain things. good luck and please let us know what you find out? marcia
