X-Ray Examination at Relief Chiropractic in Cambridge
At Relief Chiropractic Health Clinic, we have competitive rates for diagnostic X-ray therapy in Cambridge.
Not all new patients will require an X-ray, but if it is indicated, it will be suggested in your consultation and examination. We charge per region, not per X-ray. This means that if you need 3 X-rays taken in your neck for example, you would only be charged for the 1 region being X-rayed (the neck). Some patients may require imaging for 2 regions or even 3, but this will be dependent on the case. Find out more about our charges for X-ray here.
What do you need to do to prepare for an X-Ray?
Most of the time, there is no need for special preparation for an X-ray, apart from choosing what to wear. If possible, please wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing. In the event that you require X-ray, please avoid jewellery, or clothing with metal buttons, zips, buckles and fastenings (including metal underwires for bras). This will usually avoid the need for a gown and make your examination more comfortable for you.
Pregnancy
For all X-rays, you should let us know if you’re pregnant, or even if pregnancy is possible. X-rays usually aren’t recommended for pregnant women unless it’s an emergency.
When X-rays are used
X-rays can be used to examine most areas of the body. They’re mainly used to look at the bones and joints, although they’re sometimes used to detect problems affecting soft tissue, such as internal organs.
In our Cambridge chiropractic office, the majority of our X-rays are used for the 3 regions of the spine (the cervical, thoracic and lumbar). Depending on the case, it may be appropriate to X-ray hips or shoulders, although we do not have the setup to X-ray certain joints such as the ankle.
Each X-ray region must be justified, using a combination of patient history, current response to care, age and other factors. Only a ‘referrer’, such as a Chiropractor or GP, may refer for X-ray to be fully justified. We do accept referrals for X-ray from other practitioners provided they fill in our forms for justification.
What May Be Found
As a chiropractic health clinic, our major reasons for X-ray are to determine the function, structure and health of the spinal joints. From our standpoint, we will be trying to identify levels of degeneration and stress in the spine in order to adjust you with precision and care. X-ray will often allow us to make a more informed judgement on how best to treat you and also flag up some of the medical reasons for pain.
Medical problems that may be detected during an X-ray include:
We send all of our X-rays off for a second opinion from an experienced medical radiographer. This is a service which we provide free of charge in order to avoid missing anything in your images.
Are X-Rays Safe?
People are often concerned about being exposed to radiation during X-ray. However, many people aren’t aware that the amount of radiation you are exposed to during a normal X-ray is the equivalent of a few days of natural radiation exposure in the environment.
Being exposed to X-ray radiation is a normal part of daily life, although it does carry a small risk of damaging tissue leading to cancer many years or decades later. It is thought that a single chest X-ray is the equivalent of approximately 1 in 1,000,000 chance of causing cancer.
The benefits and risk of X-ray will be weighed up before it’s suggested. Please speak to your chiropractor if you have any concerns.
Book an X-Ray with our Cambridge Chiropractor
If you are looking to book an X-ray with a Cambridge chiropractor, or you have pain or other symptoms, Relief Chiropractic can help. If you have any questions about our X-rays, or you’re ready to book, you can arrange a consultation or book a free telephone call with our principal chiropractor. During this time, the process of our X-rays will be explained fully.