Chiropractors
As a top medical service provider for spinal ligament injury assessments applying our proprietary CRMA® procedure, we recognize the profession of Chiropractic is the largest CAM (Complimentary Alternative Medical) provider in the country that treats spinal ligament injuries.
While not part of standard medical care, these providers often require the needs of medical services in order to assist them with arriving at an accurate diagnosis and the ability to accurately and objectively determine the severity and location of their patients’ spinal injuries.
How Spinal Ligament Injuries Are Detected
Spinal ligament injuries are revealed by two specific bio imaging markers. A bio imaging marker is a feature of a diagnostic image (X-ray, MRI) relevant to a patient’s diagnosis. These finding are needed for an accurate diagnosis, and to ensure patient safety with treatment. A fracture, for example, leaves a bio imaging marker of a displacement of the bone on the image (X-ray, CT) allowing for a definitive diagnosis of that fracture.
With spinal ligament injuries there are two significant bio imaging markers to examine. The axial spine is comprised of over 100 intricate joints that are held together by over 220 specialized ligaments, 23 of which are discs. When the spinal ligaments are damaged through shear and compressive forces, the shearing force often damages the ligaments causing the spine to lose its ability to maintain alignment during intricate movement patterns. The damage to these ligaments shows up as excessive vertebral motion which can lead to serious spinal instabilities.
This excessive joint motion is picked up and accurately measured with Stress X-rays and our CRMA® procedures.
Spinal Ligament Injury Assessments such as excessive motion detected with CRMA® or disc injuries detected via MRI should be interpreted by independent Board Certified Medical Radiologists so that no bias exists and the credibility of the findings are accepted by all parties attempting to adjudicate patient benefits.
Bio imaging markers of excessive joint motion is not detected by MRI, as the recumbent MRI was never designed to locate it. Excessive joint motion is found with CRMA® and Stress X-rays allow the provider to determine the severity and location of the spinal sprain, as well as clinically correlate for spinal instability and to verify the excessive motion is severe enough to cause a permanent impairment.
The second imaging bio marker associated with spinal ligament injuries is of course a disc herniation which is identified using MRI imaging.
Both bio imaging markers are extremely important in the diagnosis of spinal ligament injuries. They should be performed by an unbiased medical specialist as these findings drive all care, care plans and reimbursements and as such should be done independent of the treating provider for maximum credibility. Independent assessment ensures that the findings are accepted by all parties who approve any benefits that the patient may have access to.
