Reason for Getting a MRI for Herniated Disc Diagnosis

So many times we go and do things without knowing the reason why. With the help of the search engines we are able to obtain valuable information fast so we can become better educated to make the best decisions possible.

There are reasons for doing all kinds of things in life. There is a definite reason for getting a MRI of your spine and that is to see what is going on with the soft tissues. X-rays are used to see the bones and MRI s are used to see the discs and other soft tissue structures. When you have back or neck pain and have a decrease in mobility, and possibly other symptoms then you will first want to see a Doctor who can take all of your information, then do objective testing to help narrow down what is causing the problem. Typically a herniated disc will have the following symptoms:

1. Pain worse in the morning; however it can be constant and severe all the time.
2. Radiating or shooting pain down the arms to the hands from a cervical herniated disc or down the legs to the feet or toes from a lumber herniated disc.
3. Pain that could get better with motion; however it could get worse with motion.
   

These are not set in stone and symptoms can be quite different from person to person. There are orthopedic tests that the Doctor will do to help narrow down the diagnosis. Muscles will be tested, reflexes will be tested, and there could also be sensory testing as well.

If the information matches from the history and the exam, then an MRI might be needed. When you are ready to get out of pain and get better it is crucial to get the exact cause of the pain so that the correct back pain treatment can be used. Non-surgical treatments for back pain are recommended first and should be utilized.