X rays

Do chiropractors take x rays?  The short answer is “yes they do.” (when needed)

Why do chiropractors take x rays?

X rays allow us to see what’s really going on inside your body.  If we want to fix your problem we have to know what’s wrong first right?

In cases where a trauma or accident is involved, it is usually a good idea to take x rays to properly diagnose an injury.  It is also good in cases where a problem has been there a long time and won’t go away.  The x ray allows the doctor to see why the body is not healing itself.

As people get older it’s also a good idea for the chiropractor to do x rays because the problem could be arthritis.  This is only seen on x ray.  A worse situation is if there is cancer or infection affecting the bone.  You want to know that before getting spinal adjustments.

However, if the doctor is confident he knows what is going on with you based on his exam findings x rays are not always required.  Minor complaints and injuries can often be treated successfully without x rays.  If the patient doesn’t respond to treatment you can always take an x ray later.  This saves on x ray exposure to the patient.

Types of X ray

In the past many offices had “analog” machines.  Those that required film, chemicals, a dark room and a processor to develop the films.  Another negative was the need for ongoing processor chemistry analysis.  This was to make sure the chemicals for developing were “still good”.  As the chemicals heat up over time in the processor they lose strength.  This resulted in poor quality x rays and sometimes the need to re-take them.  This resulted in more unnecessary x ray exposure for the patient.  Local governing bodies decided to prevent this by having doctors stay on top of their film chemistry with routine analysis.  Trust me, it was a time consuming process but I understand the reasoning.

Digital X ray

With the introduction of digital technology, much of the headache has been taken away from the doctor to produce quality x rays.  There’s no film to buy and store.  No chemicals to maintain and replace (which is great for the environment).  A separate dark room is no longer required which means more of the office space can be used for other purposes.  Not to mention the impact of not having to dispose of old x ray film after 7 years of storage.

Digital x ray also gives you the ability to adjust the quality of your film by digitally making them darker or lighter to see the bones more clearly.  So even if you mess up the x ray, you can still salvage it by using this feature.

Summary

So do chiropractors take x rays?  Yes, when necessary.  There’s time when you want to get more information about a patient.  They are not always needed and it is a judgment call by the doctor to know when to order them.