A MRI scan is like a ‘photograph’ of the inside of your spine and just like a photograph it shows any wear and tear that has accumulated over the years. The MRI scan helps to confirm the clinical picture. It offers comprehensive information down to a few millimetres showing soft tissue and nerves well and unlike x-ray uses no radiation.

Cortisone steroid injections are used for severe back or nerve pain. They are a useful diagnostic tool and can help to locate the source of pain as relief from symptoms, be it only temporary, confirms the diagnosis.

This is seldom our first option and it is often not needed for back or nerve pain. It is usually reserved for structural abnormalities that have not responded to conservative treatment. This may be due to ongoing nerve compression causing pain that will not settle or progressive nerve damage, instability in the spine or compression of the spinal cord.

We refer our patients to physiotherapists and osteopaths who specialise in back care. Some patients will need more core strengthening and work on posture while others benefit from stretching and improving flexibility. The therapist will work on an exercise plan designed for your specific needs.