precision diagnosis
Finding the true cause of your back pain is essential. Mr Hess is exhaustive in his diagnostic process, and because of his unique expertise, is often able to find a solution where others have not.
Spinal pain is complex and each patient is different. Solving your diagnostic puzzle may require a step-by-step, methodical approach of ruling things out to get to the final answer.
Mr Hess and the wider team of clinical professionals within the hospitals provide a vast range of specialist scans, tests and diagnostic procedures to ensure an accurate diagnosis.
Mr Hess is Master Instructor with the Spine Intervention Society; a specialist organisation dedicated to setting technical standards and methods for precision diagnosis and best practice in spinal pain management.
Insight Spine UK is dedicated to providing the most appropriate and conservative treatment to ease your pain. Getting an accurate diagnosis is essential to ensure the right treatment is offered, whether that be simple physiotherapy or ultimately a surgical procedure.
The first step on the journey is to have an initial consultation with Mr Hess to discuss your individual case.
Your diagnostic journey
Every patient is different, and so a unique approach is required.
When you come for an initial consultation, Mr Hess will take time to fully understand your symptoms and the steps you’ve taken up to now to manage or treat your pain. He will carry out a thorough physical assessment to test your pain and mobility.
If needed, Mr Hess will request a scan of your spine, commonly an X-Ray or MRI Scan.
If you have any previous scans to share, Mr Hess will review them thoroughly and offer his expert opinion on them too.
Sometimes a diagnostic injection is useful. Injections aim to identify the source of pain by giving you a local anaesthetic in the suspected problem area. If your pain goes away, then that means the area is the source of your problem. If not, then it might mean that you’re experiencing referred pain from somewhere else. For example, sometimes spinal pain can cause leg, hip or arm pain.
Common diagnostic procedures include:
- Facet Medial Branch Block
- Selective nerve root blocks
- Sacroiliac Joint Blocks
- Disc testing
Ultimately, clear diagnosis leads to the best treatment. We’ll leave no stone unturned to find the true cause of your pain before recommending any specific treatment.
Any questions?
Feel free to get in touch or visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.