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A well-trained and compassionate physician will give you the best neck pain diagnosis. Yes, there are several tests to be completed that will enhance what the doctor will tell you, and the technicians completing the diagnostic testing will ensure that a good diagnosis is established. When you see a doctor for neck pain expecting diagnosis, you may want to know about the methods of looking at your upper spine, neck and shoulder. In addition, other tests may be conducted to rule out other conditions causing your neck, also called cervical, pain. MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a very effective technique for diagnosing neck pain. The machine itself is self described by the name – a powerful magnet that aligns the atoms of a body in a direction to send a signal to a computer to convert it to an image. The machine itself, because of the powerful magnet, is situated in a room by itself and has a very strong magnetic field. This field makes it necessary for the individual receiving an MRI to notify the radiologist of any metals that may be in the body and remove all jewelry or other metals. If a patient has a steel rod, pacemaker or other metals in the body, they may not be able to have the scan. When it comes time to do the exam, a patient is instructed to lie down on a narrow bed, where headphones are often given to the patient, and before the process starts, the patient is automatically slid into a narrow tunnel where the procedure takes place. The patient will hear a strong knocking and clicking throughout the procedure as the technology “slices” through the body and makes images of the neck and wherever else is prescribed for a pain diagnosis. Injectable dyes or contrast may be introduced to provide a contrast between the healthy and unhealthy tissue. The MRI images are produced in 250 shades of gray which help physicians determine tissue abnormalities. CT scans A CT scan, also known as a CAT scan for Computerized Axial Tomography, is an x-ray vision of the body in 3-D and can provide assistance in neck pain diagnosis. Like the MRI, the CT scan makes images in slices of the body using x-ray technology. The patient lies on a thin platform and the x-ray tube of the machine – looking much like a large doughnut tipped on its side - moves around the patient to obtain images. The radiologist only has to record images of the area being examined, which in this case, would be the neck. X-rays Sometimes a simple x-ray can provide a neck pain diagnosis. An x-ray is simply a way for a physician to see through body tissue onto the bones. The calcium photons of the bones are much larger than the soft tissue of the body, so they absorb the x-rays much more easily to produce an image. A camera on the other side of the patient absorbs the x-ray proton and the image is revealed as a negative – with the more dense material appearing as white, while the soft tissue is expressed in shades of gray. Other Neck Pain Diagnosis Tests Sometimes, to rule out other diseases and conditions which may be causing neck pain, a physician will order an ECG, blood and urine tests. Infection can cause back pain, and this is what the blood and urine tests will detect. An ECG (an electrocardiogram) may be ordered if the individual is suffering with chest pains as well, or is at high risk for heart disease, with high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol. Any of the above tests will not alone determine neck pain diagnosis, yet will provide the tools for a physician to understand the condition and recommend treatment for a healthy, pain-free neck. The author of this article has expertise in Neck Pain Treatment . The article on Neck Pain Diagnosis reveals the author’s knowledge on the same. The author has written many articles on Neck pain as well.
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