After few years of constant pain in my back, I have decided to visit my doctor. There was always some excuse for me, or that I worked too much or I didn’t sleep well. Lately I realized there is not good enough reason that I know for it. That’s why I wanted to make some examinations to check where the problem is. My friend told me I should perform discogram so I want to know more about that procedure.
Discogram is a diagnostic test that is performed to see what is source of back pain. It’s possible to view and access to the internal structure of a disc and determine if it is a source of your pain. Before performing discogram you will be given intravenous medication as a relaxant and pain reliever. Local anesthetic will be injected into the area that is being examined. Discogram consider that needle is inserted through a previously placed needle in the skin and into the disc that is under the fluoroscopy. Saline solution and radiopaque dye will be injected into the disc or discs if more than one will be examined. CT is usually performed on the painful disc after dye is injected to obtain images of the dye distribution. Results of discorgam that you might expect are recreation of painful symptoms if disc in abnormal. Also confirmation of a diagnosis or determination of which disc is the source of pain. You should visit your doctor first to hear his diagnosis, maybe there is no need for discogram at all.
What exactly is a discogram?