X-rays are a valuable diagnostic tool in a lot of areas of healthcare including chiropractic care. Many health issues occur inside the body and aren’t visible to the naked eye. X-rays enable your healthcare provider to see inside your body in order to identify the problem and make an accurate diagnosis.
In chiropractic treatment, x-rays are used in exactly the same way. Chiropractic care is focused on the musculoskeletal system, which refers to the system of bones, muscles, and connective tissues found throughout our bodies. Chiropractic X-rays will show your chiropractor an image of the affected area which will include the bone and dense soft tissue. This will allow them to determine the best course of treatment to both alleviate the symptoms that you’ve been experiencing and their underlying cause. This is important because there are some instances in which conventional spinal adjustments may not be an appropriate course of action and could, in fact, make your issues worse. Patients may instead benefit from starting treatment using gentler techniques.
How Do X-Rays Work?
X-rays, also known as radiographs, are images of the inside of the body taken using electromagnetic radiation. The radiation is targeted at the specific area of the body where the discomfort seems to be emanating from and then passes through it. The way that it reacts when it comes to specific structures determines how they are produced on the visual images. The radiation beam passes through the skin and soft tissue easily but is unable to pass through bone and teeth, causing these to appear dense and white on the x-ray image. Soft but dense tissues such as muscles, organs, and ligaments appear as shades of grey. This gives your chiropractor a clear picture of the internal structures of your body.
Benefits Of X-Rays For Chiropractic Treatment Plans
Some of the advantages of undergoing chiropractic x-rays include the following:
- X-rays give your chiropractor a clear picture of the issues that are affecting your musculoskeletal system, enabling them to make an accurate diagnosis. This includes the identification of issues such as dislocations, fractures, tumors, infection, and cancer. They will also be able to assess things like disc degeneration, bone spurs, joint spaces, and bone alignment which could help them to identify issues such as scoliosis and degenerative disc disease.
- X-rays will ensure that the appropriate treatment is taken, rather than putting patients through a treatment that could exacerbate their condition and make their symptoms worse. Patients can feel reassured that their treatment plan is tailored to their individual needs.
- Regular x-rays can enable your chiropractor to monitor the success of your treatment, or in the case of patients with degenerative diseases, track their progression. This will help to ensure that you continue to receive the right treatment, which could slow or halt the progression of degenerative conditions.
- X-rays also empower patients with knowledge about their condition as they can see the abnormalities for themselves. This will help them to accept the issues affecting them and, as they are resolved, they will be able to see as well as experience the improvement in their situation.
We are delighted to be able to offer patients the benefit of chiropractic x-rays, right here at our office in Charleston, SC. Please contact us today to schedule an appointment.
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