interesting back information

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These are both good posts. I was reminded of how frustrated I get when I am in pain and try to communicate and I can't put simple sentences together. I have had 5 MRIs. The 1st one was only after seeing a chiropractor after seeing my FP doc for a while and he wasnt getting anywhere with my sciatica. My chiropractor said you need an MRI. She said she could write one but I thought it best to ask my FP doc to write the order. He wrote one for w/ and w/o contast. I told my chiropractor and she was miffed. She said you dont need one with contrast because you have never had surgery. Needless cost and time lying still while in pain. The lesson here I guess is that no single practitioner knows everything and we as patients have to take control of our care and learn as much as possible-- and then, find a practitioner who is okay with that but not a pushover either.
I had one MRI that the radiologist who read it said my disc had not reherniated, but the neurosurgeon's impression was that it had indeed reherniated. Who is correct? I still say, we each are at some point in the writing of our own novel on back pain.

Peace and Prayers,
Brett
 
Hi gang, i was wondering if many know this:
MRIs are not without problems. Bulging of the discs is noted on up to 40% of MRIs performed on people without back pain. Other studies have shown that MRIs fail to diagnose up to 20% of ruptured discs that are found during surgery:
So why are doctors so hesitant on saying theres nothing wrong with one? Would there be another tests to rule out one having a ruptured discs when they tell you nothings wrong?
Melissa
 
Another thing I have noticed is that a lot of times, doctors prolong giving a MRI until a patient's symptoms become less severe. Meaning, in my case, I went to the emergency room at the end of April 2007, and the attending physician told me to wait 10-14 days to see if I get any better, before going to my internal medicine doctor (at the time). I actually didn't get a MRI until a little over two weeks after my back had "went out" for the second time. I wasn't near as bad by then. I just wish they could have done the MRI then, in order to really see how bad the abnormalities truly are. I hope I'm making sense...I know that with the severe pain I am in, I often times don't make any sense. Always feel free to tell me when I don't make a "lick of sense." I have only had one MRI in my life and feel that I need further testing to truly know the condition of my spine. I am glad you brought this to our attention because I have often wondered about MRIs. Sincerely, Tam
 
Hi Melissa,

Well, I am certainly glad I was helpful ;). Why do you keep falling? Is is just chance or is you equilibrium off? Everyone falls once in a while-unfortunately, but it is worse for us with back woes. My mom gets vertigo and gets dizzy alot. Luckily she has lots of furniture to grab onto or she would go down. Just curious about that. I fell a few months after my surgery and I swear it messed me up but I was only 3 months postop and my doc didn't feel I did any damage. He might feel differently if he saw me fall! Luckily my other falls haven't kept me down too long. I hope the same goes for you!
 
Good info. I personally don't like the fact that you have to lay down for an MRI or CT scan because most of us hurt less while lying down than standing up so I don't believe it truly shows what is going on.

I do know that a discogram will show positive results if a disc is truly bad though. It is a painful procedure as once they nurab the area most goes well until they inject the dye into a problem disc then the pain is incredible. It doesn't last longer than perhaps 30 seconRAB but it feels like alot longer. Definately a grit your teeth experience. They inject other discs as well but if they aren't a problem, it won't be painful. I have no idea why this is but it is.

Good luck on finding your answers. It is a tedious, depressing and painful process but stick with it. It is NOT all in our minRAB as some like to think.
 
llinc, not sure if thats why, i don't seem to get dizzy too often i just loose my balance. I have had only two hours of sleep last night due to my leg hurting and my ankle i'm kinda worried i messed up, but see one dr. tommorrow and see what he thinks!
Melissa
 
Tam, i know what your saying and thats why i found this information interesting as to why someone would be in so much pain with no answers. It just isn't fair and doesn't make sense why when you ask a dr. can't they do a certain tests, i mean that is what insurance is for and if a dr.s ordering it is should be convered unless to less time in between one another, i am hoping i woun't have a problem asking about a bone scan or other! Take care and try to stay pain free hun!
Melissa
 
linc, i was wondering about a discogram especially if it was painful and then you answered my questioned lol as to if it's bad then it will hurt. If i don't quit falling i'm going to severely neeed a new back more than i think now:(
Melissa
 
And from what i've read, they supposedly say most back pain & disc herniations go away within 2 weeks or so. So I'm sure alot of it has to do with the insurance companies b/c MRI is sooo expensive. And I guess the docs just figure chances are it will go away & you won't need an MRI. Now this may be true for many people; as a matter of fact it has happened to me before where I had something happen in my back & got excruciating nerve pain. I tried to get through it and hoped it would go away and a couple times it actually did - usually in 2 to 3 weeks. I also had this happen in my neck area where I had horrible neck pain with spasms, into my left shoulder & one time I had pins & needles in my left hand along with it. I was due to see my rheumy in about 3 weeks anyway and the pain & symtpoms went away on it's own in about 2 weeks. So i've had problems that did go away on thier own and I've had problems that did not. But the most awful thing about it is...I just want the pain to go away. Especially when somehting first happens, it seems to be the worst. The pain is many times unbearable and what is one supposed to do ? I can't stand that it seems like docs think you should just put up with it and wait it out, thats ridiculous. I'd like to see them do that.
 
Hi Brett,

I can tell you that most docs I've gone to prefer to look at the films themselves and would never rely on the radiologist's report only. I think a lot of the reason is that our doctors know our history MUCH MORE than the radiologist reading the films. So while the radiologist is just looking at it from a perspective of "is this normal or abnormal," our docs are looking at it in terms of "I know she has this pain here and that pain there, and oh, look! See that tiny little bulge there that the radiologist dismissed? It could easily be causing her pain!" I hope that made some sense.

Liz
 
liz, yes it does make sense and like you said i think alot of times this happens and i'm hopeing seeing another specialist will maybe see something or figure out something the others haven't, i can only pray i'm getting old here! By this time i may have actually fell and hurt something and then they won't be ble to find what caused this in the first place! Or maybe they will! I just try to stay posotive!
Melissa
 
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