Know All Your Options
(Before Drugs or Surgery)
Our team of diverse professionals combine a holistic approach to address pain at the source.
What is Discography?
Discography, also known as a provocative discogram, is an advanced diagnostic procedure used to determine if a specific intervertebral disc is the actual source of a patient's chronic back or neck pain. While an MRI can show structural abnormalities—such as a bulge or a tear—it cannot always prove that a specific disc is "generating" the pain you feel.Discography is a "provocative" test, meaning it is designed to recreate your typical pain. Under real-time fluoroscopic (X-ray) guidance, a physician inserts a needle into the center of the suspect disc and injects a small amount of contrast dye to increase the internal pressure. If the pressure recreates your exact, familiar pain, the test is considered "positive" for that disc level. If the pressure is felt but does not recreate your specific pain, that disc is likely not the primary problem.
The Goodlife Approach: Precision Data for a Permanent Cure
At Goodlife Physical Medicine, our mission is to move past temporary relief and push toward a CURE. We recognize that a successful outcome is impossible without an accurate diagnosis. In many chronic cases, a patient may have "multilevel" disc disease on an MRI, making it unclear which level requires the most aggressive intervention.In our multidisciplinary framework, Discography serves as the definitive roadmap. By pinpointing the exact disc responsible for your symptoms, we eliminate the guesswork. This data is critical for our team to customize your Chiropractic and Physical Therapy protocols, and it is the "gold standard" requirement for determining if you are a candidate for advanced interventions like Disc Replacement or Spinal Fusion. We aren't just looking at pictures of your spine; we are testing its biological function to ensure your treatment plan is perfectly targeted for a long-term resolution.
Right for You?
Discography may be a necessary component of your multidisciplinary treatment plan if you experience:
- Chronic, debilitating back or neck pain that has not responded to extensive conservative care (PT, Chiropractic, or injections).
- MRI findings that show multiple "abnormal" discs, making it unclear which one is the true pain generator.
- A clinical need to confirm the exact source of pain prior to considering surgical intervention.
- Persistent pain that prevents you from completing the restorative work of physical rehabilitation.
Potential Benefits
- The "Ground Truth" of Diagnosis: Provides the highest level of diagnostic certainty regarding discogenic pain.
- Informs Successful Surgery: Ensures that if surgery is required, it is performed on the correct level, avoiding the risk of "Failed Back Surgery Syndrome."
- Minimizes Unnecessary Procedures: Prevents invasive treatments on discs that, while looking abnormal on an MRI, are not actually causing your pain.
- Refines Multidisciplinary Care: Allows our team to focus rehabilitative efforts (such as Spinal Decompression) on the precise structural level that needs it most.
How It Works
4 Locations: Serving the South Bay of Los Angeles
Know your coverage
(You may be covered)
Proud providers of major insurance companies
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Disclaimers: Individual results may vary. Discography is a diagnostic medical procedure administered by a licensed physician using fluoroscopic guidance as part of a comprehensive care plan. The primary goal of Discography is to gather diagnostic data; it is not a therapeutic treatment intended to provide long-term pain relief. Results must be correlated with your physical examination and imaging studies. Insurance coverage for Discography is subject to your carrier's specific "surgical planning" or "medical necessity" guidelines and plan benefits.