Common Tests Pain Doctors Use to Find the Cause of Pain
When it comes to pain, either acute or chronic, there really isn’t much you can do about it unless you know the root cause. Medical practitioners for this reason turn to numerous tests and diagnostic techniques to determine where the pain in question may be coming from so they may treat the same appropriately.
We’re going to give you a little breakdown on some of the most common tests used to find the causes of pain experienced by patients and what they are all about.
Common Pain Diagnostic Tests
Before prescribing any additional tests, the likelihood is that your doctor will conduct a a full examination first. This preliminary physical assessment may also include blood and liver function tests.
Apart from the aforementioned, here are some of the tests commonly used to identify the cause of pain in patients.
CT Scans
CT scans (computed-tomography scan) produces a computer generated image or visual of an anatomic cross-section of the patient. Such scans may take as little as fifteen minutes and as long as an entire hour. Doctors may also use an identifying agent to help them see what is going on clearly which is injected into the patient prior to the scan.
MRIs
MRI stands for magnetic-resonance imaging. Due to the use of magnets, such scans are not recommended for individuals with medical devices like pacemakers. These scans make use of a combination of magnetism, radio-waves and of course graphic images to produce a picture of what is going on in the patient’s body. These, like CT scans, can take as little as 15 minutes but at the same time can well exceed an hour depending on how many images are required.
Ultrasound
Also referred to as sonography, this test makes use of sound waves resonating at extremely high frequencies. The reflection and deflection of these are read by a receiver and translated again to graphic imagery.
Bone Scans
If you are suffering from some kind of damage or infection to your bones, bone scans are often used to identify the cause of pain. This involves injection of radioactive materials into the patient. These materials then travel across the body but accumulate in areas where there may be problems. These areas may then be pinpointed using a scanner and computer.
Winding Down
The tests mentioned above are just some of those used by doctors attempting to pinpoint the source of pain including Myelograms, Discography and EMGs. At the same time, the test administered is only as accurate as the professionals administering it are qualified!
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