What the X-Rays Show

Usually, if the doctor decides he or she needs to actually look at the bones of the spine, an X-ray is ordered.  But even if you get an x-ray that doesn’t mean you’ll suddenly have all the answers.  The x-ray can only show bones and not muscles, tendons or ligaments.  So if your back pain is not due to broken bones, slipped vertebrae  or other bone problems the x-ray is pretty much useless.  Some doctors just skip right to the MRI or CAT scan instead.

Taking x-rays has been such a routine practice for so long now it’s probably ordered sometimes more out of habit.  As the new procedures become more widely used I would expect the x-ray to be used less and less for back pain diagnosis purposes.    Of course, x-rays are good from the viewpoint they are often done right in the doctors’ offices now, are painless and give speedy results.  Just don’t be too disappointed when you don’t find out the first trip what’s causing your pain.