You may want to have a say in this decision, or you may simply want to follow your doctor's recommendation. Either way, this information will help you understand what your choices are so that you can talk to your doctor about them.
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2Compare |
3Your |
4Your |
5Quiz |
6Your Summary |
Strained muscles and ligaments are the most common cause of low back pain and stiffness. This type of low back trouble generally goes away after 4 to 6 weeks of nonsurgical treatment. An MRI usually isn't helpful in these cases.
Pressure on a spinal nerve can cause sciatica symptoms, which usually include a shooting pain down the back or side of the leg. Your leg may also feel weak, tingly, or numb. This pressure on the nerve can be caused by:
Other serious causes of back pain, such as infection, a tumor, or cancer, are rare.
Very few cases of low back pain are caused by serious disease or nerve-related problems. Imaging, including MRI, is helpful for diagnosing and planning treatment only for these types of conditions.
An MRI is a test that uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to make pictures of the spine. MRI stands for "magnetic resonance imaging."
For this test, your body is placed inside a special machine that contains a strong magnet.
In some cases, a contrast material is used during the MRI scan. This means that you have a chemical injected into your bloodstream, through an IV. The chemical makes certain areas show up better on the MRI pictures.
The MRI can find problems such as infection or a tumor. It may also find things that aren't normal but that aren't causing any problems.
An MRI isn't painful, but there are certain details about having an MRI that you should know about:
An MRI is not a standard test for finding the cause of low back pain. A complete exam that includes questions about your medical history is enough to diagnose and treat most low back pain.
An MRI is best used when your doctor suspects a specific problem—something other than the muscle strain that causes most low back pain.
An MRI usually isn't done when simple muscle strain is suspected, because:
An MRI can be loud, but the test itself isn't painful.
There are no known harmful effects from the magnet used in MRI machines, but it is very strong:
There is a slight risk of an allergic reaction if contrast material is used during the MRI. But most reactions are mild and can be treated with medicine. There also is a slight risk of an infection at the IV site.
Contrast material that contains gadolinium may be used in this test. Be sure to tell your doctor if:
The FDA has safety warnings about gadolinium. But for most people, the benefit of its use in this test outweighs the risk.
Your doctor might recommend an MRI if he or she suspects that your low back pain is caused by something more serious than muscle strain. This may be the case if:
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What are the risks and side effects? |
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These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.
I injured my back about a month ago lifting my daughter out of her car seat. I've been doing all the home treatment that my doctor recommended: ice, walking, anti-inflammatories, and rest from activities that bother it. I went to a physical therapy class that taught me how to lift properly and protect my back. My leg pain and other symptoms are a little better every week, but they are definitely still there. My doctor says that based on my symptoms, she doesn't think there is anything really serious going on but that it would be reasonable to have an MRI scan now if I am willing to have surgery. Even though I'm tired of the pain, it is getting better (slowly), and I think I will just hold off for a few more weeks.
Greg, age 38
My back and leg pain has been constant and severe since I twisted my back about 3 months ago. Most of the pain is in my leg, which makes my doctor and me think that I have a pinched nerve. I also have severe weakness in my leg. I'm usually the type of person who tries to wait things out, but this is disabling. I'm going to have the MRI, and if it shows a problem that can be fixed, I'll talk to my doctor about what I can do next.
Michelle, age 35
If I was in my 30s again and still working as a roofer, I would be having an MRI and surgery as soon as I could to treat my herniated disc. But my work now doesn't depend as much on my ability to lift and carry heavy loads, so I can wait for my symptoms to go away on their own. I'm going to try exercise and anti-inflammatories to see if I can speed up the process and relieve the pain without surgery.
Bob, age 55
I injured my back about 6 weeks ago. I was ready to have surgery right then, but my doctor encouraged me to wait awhile. The pain is still as bad as it ever was, and now it is more in my leg than in my back. I want surgery more than ever. I'm going to have an MRI, and then my doctor and I can see if it shows anything that can be helped with surgery.
Franco, age 54
Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
Reasons to have an MRI
Reasons not to have an MRI
I've had low back pain for several months, and I want to find out if something serious is wrong.
I'm willing to give my low back pain more time to go away on its own, even if it takes a year.
If the MRI shows a problem that can be fixed with surgery, I'm ready to have surgery.
Even if an MRI showed a problem that surgery could fix, I wouldn't want to have surgery.
I'm not worried about the cost of an MRI.
I don't want to pay lots of money for a test that might not help me.
I'm not worried that an MRI could lead to more testing or treatment that might not help me.
I worry that the results could lead to more testing or treatment that might not help me.
My other important reasons:
My other important reasons:
Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now.
Having an MRI
NOT having an MRI
Check the facts
Decide what's next
Certainty
1. How sure do you feel right now about your decision?
Here's a record of your answers. You can use it to talk with your doctor or loved ones about your decision.
Author | Healthwise Staff |
---|---|
Primary Medical Reviewer | William H. Blahd Jr. MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine |
Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine |
Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine |
Primary Medical Reviewer | Jeffrey N. Katz MD, MPH - Rheumatology |
Primary Medical Reviewer | Heather Quinn MD - Family Medicine |
Strained muscles and ligaments are the most common cause of low back pain and stiffness. This type of low back trouble generally goes away after 4 to 6 weeks of nonsurgical treatment. An MRI usually isn't helpful in these cases.
Pressure on a spinal nerve can cause sciatica symptoms, which usually include a shooting pain down the back or side of the leg. Your leg may also feel weak, tingly, or numb. This pressure on the nerve can be caused by:
Other serious causes of back pain, such as infection, a tumor, or cancer, are rare.
Very few cases of low back pain are caused by serious disease or nerve-related problems. Imaging, including MRI, is helpful for diagnosing and planning treatment only for these types of conditions.
An MRI is a test that uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to make pictures of the spine. MRI stands for "magnetic resonance imaging."
For this test, your body is placed inside a special machine that contains a strong magnet.
In some cases, a contrast material is used during the MRI scan. This means that you have a chemical injected into your bloodstream, through an IV. The chemical makes certain areas show up better on the MRI pictures.
The MRI can find problems such as infection or a tumor. It may also find things that aren't normal but that aren't causing any problems.
An MRI isn't painful, but there are certain details about having an MRI that you should know about:
An MRI is not a standard test for finding the cause of low back pain. A complete exam that includes questions about your medical history is enough to diagnose and treat most low back pain.
An MRI is best used when your doctor suspects a specific problem—something other than the muscle strain that causes most low back pain.
An MRI usually isn't done when simple muscle strain is suspected, because:
An MRI can be loud, but the test itself isn't painful.
There are no known harmful effects from the magnet used in MRI machines, but it is very strong:
There is a slight risk of an allergic reaction if contrast material is used during the MRI. But most reactions are mild and can be treated with medicine. There also is a slight risk of an infection at the IV site.
Contrast material that contains gadolinium may be used in this test. Be sure to tell your doctor if:
The FDA has safety warnings about gadolinium. But for most people, the benefit of its use in this test outweighs the risk.
Your doctor might recommend an MRI if he or she suspects that your low back pain is caused by something more serious than muscle strain. This may be the case if:
Have an MRI | Don't have an MRI | |
---|---|---|
What is usually involved? |
|
|
What are the benefits? |
|
|
What are the risks and side effects? |
|
|
These stories are based on information gathered from health professionals and consumers. They may be helpful as you make important health decisions.
"I injured my back about a month ago lifting my daughter out of her car seat. I've been doing all the home treatment that my doctor recommended: ice, walking, anti-inflammatories, and rest from activities that bother it. I went to a physical therapy class that taught me how to lift properly and protect my back. My leg pain and other symptoms are a little better every week, but they are definitely still there. My doctor says that based on my symptoms, she doesn't think there is anything really serious going on but that it would be reasonable to have an MRI scan now if I am willing to have surgery. Even though I'm tired of the pain, it is getting better (slowly), and I think I will just hold off for a few more weeks."
— Greg, age 38
"My back and leg pain has been constant and severe since I twisted my back about 3 months ago. Most of the pain is in my leg, which makes my doctor and me think that I have a pinched nerve. I also have severe weakness in my leg. I'm usually the type of person who tries to wait things out, but this is disabling. I'm going to have the MRI, and if it shows a problem that can be fixed, I'll talk to my doctor about what I can do next."
— Michelle, age 35
"If I was in my 30s again and still working as a roofer, I would be having an MRI and surgery as soon as I could to treat my herniated disc. But my work now doesn't depend as much on my ability to lift and carry heavy loads, so I can wait for my symptoms to go away on their own. I'm going to try exercise and anti-inflammatories to see if I can speed up the process and relieve the pain without surgery."
— Bob, age 55
"I injured my back about 6 weeks ago. I was ready to have surgery right then, but my doctor encouraged me to wait awhile. The pain is still as bad as it ever was, and now it is more in my leg than in my back. I want surgery more than ever. I'm going to have an MRI, and then my doctor and I can see if it shows anything that can be helped with surgery."
— Franco, age 54
Your personal feelings are just as important as the medical facts. Think about what matters most to you in this decision, and show how you feel about the following statements.
Reasons to have an MRI
Reasons not to have an MRI
I've had low back pain for several months, and I want to find out if something serious is wrong.
I'm willing to give my low back pain more time to go away on its own, even if it takes a year.
If the MRI shows a problem that can be fixed with surgery, I'm ready to have surgery.
Even if an MRI showed a problem that surgery could fix, I wouldn't want to have surgery.
I'm not worried about the cost of an MRI.
I don't want to pay lots of money for a test that might not help me.
I'm not worried that an MRI could lead to more testing or treatment that might not help me.
I worry that the results could lead to more testing or treatment that might not help me.
My other important reasons:
My other important reasons:
Now that you've thought about the facts and your feelings, you may have a general idea of where you stand on this decision. Show which way you are leaning right now.
Having an MRI
NOT having an MRI
1. Do most doctors order an MRI in cases of low back pain?
2. Should you ask your doctor for an MRI when you first get low back pain?
3. Is an MRI ever helpful in cases of low back pain?
1. Do you understand the options available to you?
2. Are you clear about which benefits and side effects matter most to you?
3. Do you have enough support and advice from others to make a choice?
1. How sure do you feel right now about your decision?
2. Check what you need to do before you make this decision.
By | Healthwise Staff |
---|---|
Primary Medical Reviewer | William H. Blahd Jr. MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine |
Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine |
Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine |
Primary Medical Reviewer | Jeffrey N. Katz MD, MPH - Rheumatology |
Primary Medical Reviewer | Heather Quinn MD - Family Medicine |
Current as of: March 9, 2022
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:William H. Blahd Jr. MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito MD - Family Medicine & Jeffrey N. Katz MD, MPH - Rheumatology & Heather Quinn MD - Family Medicine
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