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Recurring back problem.


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Does anyone know if there is any procedure that can be taken.My brother in law as suffered back problems for years but his physio wont refer him for an MRI scan.He is laid up again at the moment.Even to go private he needs a referral.Any advice would be appreciated.

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Does anyone know if there is any procedure that can be taken.My brother in law as suffered back problems for years but his physio wont refer him for an MRI scan.He is laid up again at the moment.Even to go private he needs a referral.Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Why does he think an MRI scan would be helpful?

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What does his GP say? In his position I'd be asking his GP for a referral or a written reason why he cannot have his back problems investigated.

 

You do have to bear in mind that MRIs are not inexpensive tests and there could well be a very good reason why an MRI is not needed, such as if there is already a clear diagnosis of what is causing the problems with his back.

 

I've had a whole selection of tests on my back, ranging from simple x-rays to radioisotope scans, and all of these produce different information for differential diagnoses, so is there any reason why your brother feels that an MRI is more appropriate than any other test or, for instance, a simple x-ray?

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Does anyone know if there is any procedure that can be taken.My brother in law as suffered back problems for years but his physio wont refer him for an MRI scan.He is laid up again at the moment.Even to go private he needs a referral.Any advice would be appreciated.

 

I basically agree with what other posters are trying to establish here. Just to clarify, are physios able to do referrals, or do referrals have to come from a GP or specialist.(I don’t actually know) I’m just asking, as with all the stress the back pain is causing your BIL, this point may have eluded him.

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Why does he think an MRI scan would be helpful?

To diagnose the problem,he as had this for years.For some reason his dr cannot refer him it has to be the physio.

 

---------- Post added 29-03-2015 at 20:00 ----------

 

Need a bit more to go on rf2690. Where is the pain? when does he get it? how old is he? what's he tried already? what does the doctor think is causing it? Stuff like that.

It's his lower back,he's been to the Chyropractor numerous times,had Xray.Now on pain killers and naproxen plus dia something or other.All they do is knock him out.He's 59 years old.I appreciate that mri scans are expensive but it's awful to see someone on his knees just to get a bit of relief.

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I was referred by my g.p for an MRI some years back, it showed up all sort of problems with damaged and bulging disks including RA which they discribed as an active disease in both hips and spine, so an MRI is a pretty good diagnostic tool.

 

Id suggest he pursues his G.P if it has been a problem for years there is obviously some deep routed underlying problem, also ask for blood tests to rule out any RA.

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What about going to see a private GP, and getting an MRI referral from there?

For example:

http://www.privategpsheffield.co.uk/

 

If you get referred for a private MRI you can expect to pay upwards of the £800 I was quoted over a decade ago.

 

I'd go down the normal GP route and ask for a written reason why he can't have further investigation if they turn him down.

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If you get referred for a private MRI you can expect to pay upwards of the £800 I was quoted over a decade ago.

 

I'd go down the normal GP route and ask for a written reason why he can't have further investigation if they turn him down.[

It's the Dr that's told him it has to be the physio that refers him.He can claim 75% from Westfield towards an MRI but still needs a referral.Just keeps coming up against a brick wall.My hubby had same problem started in Feb 14 had surgery in Sept 14.

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