I get this question from my clients all the time: should I get a(n) x-ray/ultrasound/MRI/CT/(insert more diagnostic tests here) for my injury? And this is what I tell them (by the way, this is just my personal opinion; other healthcare providers will have their own beliefs [for example, chiropractors might rely on x-rays to help them with diagnoses], so don't be offended and just take this with a grain of salt)...
The results of diagnostic tests do hold value and most definitely helps me in the treatment of a particular condition. (I'll write another post in the future about the different diagnostic tests.) However, I do not like to rely on them. Let me explain what I mean by that. We, as physios, treat you based on your signs and symptoms. If you have bruising and swelling, we try to eliminate that; if you have pain, we try to control that; if you have limited flexibility and strength, we try to increase that; if you have biomechanical and movement issues, we try to correct that. You see where I'm going with this? It doesn't matter to me if you were diagnosed with scoliosis or degenerative disc disease or stenosis or a herniated disc or a lumbar muscle strain... I treat the symptoms associated with those back conditions. Whether you have a frozen shoulder or a torn rotator cuff muscle, my treatment might still be the same. In contrast, your herniated disc might be different from somebody else's herniated disc, resulting in a completely different treatment. Therefore, I encourage people not to get too worried about a specific diagnosis. I know a lot of people want that ease of mind and want to put a label on the condition(s) that they may (or may not) have.
In my experience, clients also want to hold off on getting treatment for an injury "until they get their x-ray/ultrasound/MRI/etc." I don't recommend this! Getting an appointment takes time. I've had clients wait 4 to 8 months for an MRI. It's ridiculous, but it's reality. By the time your appointment comes, your condition will be chronic and less responsive to therapy. You don't want to be waiting that long! If you're in pain now, get started with treatment right away. Who knows, you might already be better by the time of your appointment. By then, would you still want to know what the results say? (You probably do, but it won't be as important by then anymore.) Which brings me to my next point...
With diagnostic testing, there is a tendency for a lot of findings to show up (or not show up). It's been shown that the findings of an MRI do not correlate with a patient's symptoms. For example, you can have severe 10/10 pain, and the results of your MRI may not be significant at all. In contrast, you may be a healthy 30-something-year-old, and your MRI may show the results of an 80-year-old. Therefore, don't psych yourself out and take the findings so seriously. I mean, do take it seriously because it's good to know, but people tend to start worrying about things like "if it's this bad now, what would happen to me in 20 years?" or "I'm going to end up in a wheelchair soon" etc. I'm going to write a blog in the future about how thoughts can affect recovery.
With all that said, there definitely are times when I do recommend diagnostic tests. (This is where I might sound like I'm contradicting everything I just said.) If you've been getting regular treatments for your condition and not seeing any improvements or results, I'll usually send you to get further testing done to ensure that there aren't any other underlying issues. I also refer people when I suspect that their injury is more serious and requires more medical intervention.
I probably sound like I'm totally against diagnostic testing, but I'm really not. I can't deny that it's extremely helpful in my assessments and treatments. Who wouldn't want the ability to see what's going on inside someone's body? I just don't want people relying on these tests too much, and they definitely shouldn't let the results affect their recovery.
