Simple X-rays can very helpful to help localise and define a structural problem that may be causing your pain problem. They can be particularly useful when investigating facet joint disease or degenerative spinal disease that might be causing stenosis (narrowing) of the neural exit foramina, or disc degeneration.
CT scans show slices of the body and enable us to build up a 3D picture of bony structures, especially the spine. Recent software developments have enabled us to create interactive 3D images of the area of interest that can sometimes help a lot with diagnosis and treatment.
The main disadvantage of x-rays and CT is that they are not particularly good at showing soft tissues such as muscles and nerves. In order to visualise these you will need to have an MRI scan. MRIs also show bones and can demonstrate areas of recent inflammation or bleeding, which can be helpful with some conditions, such as the investigation of a suspected recent vertebral body compression fracture.
They take around 45 minutes to perform, and some newer ones are “open”, so please let us know if you would prefer to have an open MRI scan.
These are tests that investigate nerve and muscle function, and can be particularly helpful when investigating possible nerve damage.
Sometimes pain and neurological problems can be associated with systemic problems, which have to be investigated with tests that focus on the whole body. Many simple blood tests can be used to help with diagnosis of such problems.