In my X-ray, the doctor saw my lower disc had no gap, yet she still wanted to try the injections first (more of a trial and error). I'm very leary of these for various reasons, but I can't imagine that if you see something abnormal on an X-ray, that you wouldn't look into it further. Am I wrong in thinking this?
Hi, Tigger. I agree with your suspicion. I had an xray that didn't show anything and I got the "rest and you'll be fine" for months until I got the MRI showing a completely herniated disc. I don't say that to scare you, but you want the right treatment for the right diagnosis.
Who is the doctor doing the injections? I do hope that he or she is doing them via x-ray guide. I totally understand your concern, I would be that way too. Can you get another opinion? Having no space there makes me think that they should at least do an MRI to get a better picture of what is going on. I hope you get answers and relief soon. Keep us posted.
Yes, they would be using the x-ray guide for the injections. She thinks the main pain is from the joint, but even so, if you see a compressed disc on an x-ray, shouldn't you further investigate in case there are two problems? I keep reading and hearing that injections are only temporary fixes. That's a lot of money and pain for something that's only temporary.
It's my understanding that the injections typically do best in resolving pain after a recent major episode (herniation, etc) in the 1st few months after as they are designed to reduce swelling & minor tissue healing. Anything done later than that would definitely just be a temporary fix for someone with a compressed/herniated disc.
I would push for more of an explanation & you can always turn the injections down. The MRI is very expensive so many insurance co's look to the Doctors to try alternatives when practical.
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