Why would a chiropractor want to do an MRI?

Question

I didn't have an injury. For whatever reason I ended up with some stiffness in my neck and left shoulder to the point that sometimes my left arm gets pins and needles. XRays look normal save one minor c5/c6 issue. Yet after a couple weeks worth of adjustments, the pins and needles haven't gone away. Exercises help it feel better, but it's not yet feeling back to normal. He suggested doing an MRI. What on earth might he see? What could be causing this? Feels like a pinched nerve that won't let up.

Answer 1

As well as impingement occuring in the foramina from the facet compression the nerves supplying your arm can also be pinched  by the scalenes, in the subclavicular region and also by the pectoralis minor muscle if either or all of these areas are tight.

I would see a practitioner who can assess whether or not either of these areas are causing the symptoms which  can be established with a few neuro and orthopaedic tests.

If exercises are helpful i suspect that the soft tissue would be causing the impingement rather than the spine.

I agree with Bassdoc, Its unlikely that he would be getting any financial reward from refering you for an MRI but your symptoms do not indicate this would be appropriate and if you were my patient I almost certainly wouldn't based on what you have described.

See someone else as you aint getting the results. Try and find someone recommened to you as well as on the insurance list if possible.

Answer 2

Chiropractors can do their own x-rays, but not MRI's, so it has nothing to do with the money.

He is concerned that you have a hernia or disc bulge.

I think the value of an MRI with such light symptoms will be minimal - unless the patient is in severe pain and/or getting worse with treatment I wouldn't request it for one of my patients in this situation.

There are good and not so good Chiropractors - if he's not getting results I would see another one from the insurance list (not the big yellow pages ad).

Good luck.

Answer 3

My guess: $$$

See a real doctor.

Answer 4

Magnetic resonance imaging is very good for visualizing the soft tissues like muscles and nerves and tendons.  X-rays work by firing x-rays to a plate.  Bones absorb x-rays, thus you can see the contrast on the plate.  CAT scans work on the same principle as X-rays, except a computer puts the various images together to form a 3-D image.

Hence, for soft tissue injuries, MRI is better.

Your chiropractor has proven that he is not just a quack and is actually integrating conventional and complementary medicine.  He is probably suspicious about the persistence of the pins and needles as this does indicate a pinched nerve at the part of the nerve that comes out of the spinal cord.  He just wants to see it clearly so he knows if he must make adjustments in his treatments or refer you to the appropriate medical specialist as needed.

Answer 5

it is a better visualization than an X-ray..sometimes it takes a pinched nerve a while to return to normal, its like the pain signal is stuck in the on position, sometimes the muscles will contract and stay that way, stretching usually helps. MRI is non invasive so not a big worry.

Answer 6

A MRI could find something that a x-ray could not.

Answer 7

yeah, it's all about the money.

He'll refer you for an MRI which may cost him $250 but he'll charge you $500.

I agree with puffy shoes. If you are ill see a real doctor, not a quack.

Answer 8

Xray can infer where the possible impinged nerve is located, but it doesn't tell the whole story. MRI can show where the nerve is impinged and what tissue structure is causing it. It may either be your cervical disc, scar tissue, muscle, or other things. Once he sees what's causing it, he can modify his treatment to properly correct your problem or determine that it may be out of his scope and refer to a specialist.

big puffy shoes: Cash? In what way? I don't know many doctors who own a million dollar MRI machine in their clinic. Everyone refers to a diagnostic imaging center, including myself. Leave your bigot opinions to yourself.