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Sciatica X-Rays
Diagnosis via Sciatica X-RaysMany doctors and chiropractors take x-rays as part of a typical examination of a new patient. X-rays will clearly show the vertebral structures and will also show if any spinal discs have lost height. X-rays can not however, accurately diagnose soft tissue conditions, such as degenerative disc disease or a herniated disc. Although the space normally occupied by the disc will show up as empty on an x-ray, it is virtually impossible to differentiate between the various conditions which might create a loss of disc mass or height. Do not allow your doctor to diagnose you with a herniated disc or even DDD without insisting on an MRI or CT scan.Usefulness of Sciatica X-RaysX-rays will show if there are any abnormal bone spurs which might be in close proximately to a spinal nerve root. Although most of these osteophyte growths are harmless and do not cause any pain, at least the x-ray film will give the doctor reason to pursue additional testing to determine if the bone spur is indeed compressing a nerve. Osteophytes are targeted for causing many pinched nerve conditions, although most of the time, these products of spinal aging are typically coincidental and innocent of all blame. Remember, in order for an osteophyte to actually compress a spinal nerve root, the spur must almost completely close the normal foraminal opening between vertebrae. This rarely occurs…Advice on Sciatica X-RaysX-rays are a good starting point when trying to diagnose a chronic back pain concern. Usually, x-rays will be more useful to tell a doctor what IS NOT causing the pain, rather than clarifying what IS indeed creating the symptoms. For example, my early x-rays showed an obvious narrowing of the intervertebral spaces at L4/L5 and L5/S1. Being that my chiropractor was not very thorough, he suspected degenerative disc disease and that was the diagnosis he made. A bit down the line, I was diagnosed with 2 herniated discs in the exact same location. My new doctor speculated that this was a new condition, but other doctors later told me that they think these discs were herniated for a long time. Now, if the original chiropractor ordered an MRI instead of just x-rays, there would be no doubt whether DDD was the actual situation or whether those smaller intervertebral spaces already existed due to herniated discs. Being that the more advanced and detailed diagnostic test was never done, I will never know the truth…At some point in my sciatica story, this fact bothered me so much. I really thought that maybe if those herniations were treated differently a little sooner, than maybe, just maybe, I could have been cured… Well, that is old news now. I am all better and the DDD/Herniation controversy means nothing anymore. Finding out about my first chiropractor’s less than precise diagnostic method pales in comparison to the fact that all my doctors had the condition misdiagnosed anyway. My pain was due to ischemia and has since completely resolved. I find it so amazing that literally dozens of the best doctors could not cure my pain or even provide meaningful symptomatic relief. Yet, I was able to cure the condition completely all on my own. A big thank you to Dr. John Sarno at the NYU Medical Center for showing me how to do it… 11/6/08 Revised 12/14/09
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