“There are some Modic changes
on your MRI report.” Soft Health and Healing Clinic says “Don’t fret too
much.” Our Brooks back pain and neck pain patients have
good company when it comes to MRI reports reporting Modic changes. The research is evolving
about just what MRI-documented Modic changes mean
for a patient..and what they don’t mean. Soft Health and Healing Clinic puts perspective
around these common MRI findings.
WHAT ARE MODIC CHANGES?
“Modic changes” is a phrase used to describe the changes of
the spine’s vertebral endplates which are related to
spinal degeneration. Modic type I changes are basically regarded as bone marrow edema and inflammation signifying
acute degenerative changes. Modic type
II changes signify fatty degeneration of the bone marrow. Modic
III changes describe the replacement of bone with bony
sclerosis with little bone marrow remaining. (1) Soft Health and Healing Clinic
appreciates the chance to treat
a painful back earlier in this
cascade of change whenever possible. Soft Health and Healing Clinic treats disc degeneration and spinal degenerative changes.
WHAT MODIC CHANGES TELL ABOUT THE SPINE?
Modic changes are frequent findings on
MRI. Modic changes on MRI appear in spinal degenerative diseases
and are strongly related to low back pain. (1) They
are age-related degenerative findings that accompany disc degeneration.
Greater Modic changes were tied to greater age, higher
body mass index, and adjacent disc degeneration. (2) Lifestyle and occupational
factors like cigarette smoking, regular exercise, and absence
of daily vehicle vibration appeared to have slight
effects, if any, on the development of Modic changes in the lumbar spine. (3) Clearly,
Soft Health and Healing Clinic encourages proper lifestyle choices for optimal health!
WHAT MODIC CHANGES SUGGEST ABOUT RECOVERY?
What is unclear is the research regarding just
what Modic changes suggest about back pain
patients. Recent research demonstrated that Modic
changes were not understood to be negatively associated
with long-term pain, disability, or sick leave. The research stated
that low back pain patients who had Modic changes had much
less disability and sick-leave at long-term follow-up. (4) This is encouraging
news to our Brooks chiropractic back pain patients!
CONTACT Soft Health and Healing Clinic
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Robert Rudy on The
Back Doctors’ Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson who described
his Cox® Technic treatment plan
for their back pain relief to his patients so they understand.
Schedule your Brooks chiropractic appointment now.
Bring any MRIs with you. Together, Soft Health and Healing Clinic and you will study them for information and develop a treatment plan for
Brooks back pain relief that will prevent us both from panicking!