Back and neck pain can arise from facet joints, discs, nerve roots, sacroiliac joints, muscles, or referred sources. Each has different implications for treatment.
Advanced diagnostic workup combines history, examination, imaging review, and — when indicated — diagnostic injections under fluoroscopic or ultrasound guidance to confirm the source before therapeutic intervention.
What this means for patients
- Image-guided procedures can be both diagnostic and therapeutic.
- Patients benefit from a clear structural explanation of their pain.
What this does not mean
- It does not mean every spine pain requires a procedure.
- It does not mean imaging findings alone explain a patient's symptoms.
Sources
- PubMed Central — Diagnostic medial branch blocks
Diagnostic medial branch blocks are an established tool for identifying facet-mediated pain prior to therapeutic radiofrequency procedures.
Educational content only. Treatment decisions require physician evaluation.
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