Is a Private MRI worth it?
Posted by Straight-Situation84@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 33 comments
Been having lower back pain for nearly 6+ months. Whenever I stand or walk for few minutes my lower back starts aching to the point I have to sit back down.
Been to my GP, they just been telling me to take pain killers, do my exercises and wait for my physio therapy (4 month waiting time).
I feel like with the pain I’m dealing with and not being able to go out, having to be driven everywhere is it worth for me to get an MRI done?
Also if my MRI picks up anything would I be able to get treatment from my GP or would I have to pay for it privately.
Info about me: Male Age: 23 Location: UK
ClarifyingMe@reddit
What triggered the back pain happening?
You can ask your GP for local physio at your GP surgery (if your surgey has them) - they'll just do a quick assessment and then ply you with loads of exercises. But at least you get something to be working on while you wait for the physio at hospital.
Straight-Situation84@reddit (OP)
Was heavy lifting at work, whilst lifting felt my back go
ClarifyingMe@reddit
This is probably why they are not spending the £££ for an MRI due to the nature of the injury.
After physiotherapy is complete and you are still not recovered, you can then go back to your GP and express it having an adverse effect on your day-to-day life and ability to work (due to the nature of your work even more so), and that you'd like a further investigation through CT scan or MRI as you're afraid of long term damage the longer it goes untreated.
Taking painkillers well is also recommended. I hate taking them for psychological reasons but at the end of the day taking painkillers properly can actually be a positive. So don't try to ride through the pain in stubbornness. Take the painkiller per instructions and it can even help prevent further damage if there is something going on.
Straight-Situation84@reddit (OP)
Thank you I think I’ll get a private physio so I can have it done quicker. Thank you for your comment I appreciate it a lot
ClarifyingMe@reddit
I hope it recovers well. Just remember whatever you think you can do with the physio exercises, always take it a bit easy and don't push yourself as it's not gym workouts. That's what I struggled with understanding. The over exertion will just hurt you even if you feel you should be or can be at 100%.
bee_889@reddit
I’d suggest seeing a private physio as a good one will charge between £40-£60 per session and are worth their weight in gold. If that does not help, then I’d pay for a private MRI if the private physio suggests it.
sadsack100@reddit
NHS physios tend to be "hands off." They will ask you what you can and can't do, and what your goal is. They then print off a list of exercises and call it done. A private physio will spend much more time with you and has a range of treatment options. When it comes to physio, private wins every time.
bee_889@reddit
Agreed. NHS physio are hands off which is a bit pointless. I was considering an MRI for my foot, but private physio told me exactly what was wrong without an MRI
BabaYagasDopple@reddit
You got a slipped disc? You’d be better going for sports massages/ chiropractor and starting physio on your own now. You can watch YouTube videos for the best exercises to do.
HeriotAbernethy@reddit
Go see an osteopath. GPs are generally pretty crap with backs. An osteopath will have a good idea what’s wrong and will potentially be able to treat it / refer you if not.
Wide_Tune_8106@reddit
I know one chap, had a brain MRI done privately that GP refused to refer for. Massive brain tumour. Marched into A and E with the scan and got treated there. If you really think something is wrong keep pressing the GP or get an opinion from the physio. They're not that expensive and can be seen quite quickly.
Ted_Hitchcox@reddit
Get referred to consultant (that also does NHS work) you will pay privately for. Get what ever diagnostic scans they recommend.
If you need treatment go back on the NHS with your consultant.
I have done this for my multiple knee (three and counting) and shoulder operation.
The cost isn't too prohibative and will save months and months of waiting.
kevinmorice@reddit
Why do you think you know better than your GP?
Visual_Reception_238@reddit
Nobody knows your body better than you do. If you have a problem and you suspect your doctors gone down the wrong path, trust your instinct.
You think doctors get everything right 100% of the time?
kevinmorice@reddit
You think Reddit beats a GP?!
Straight-Situation84@reddit (OP)
Thanks to everyone who gave their response, after reading everyone comments I think best option for me is to book physiotherapy privately first that way I don’t need to 4 months, then decide for an MRI if physio does not help
crow-magnon-69@reddit
Well my mother's back pain turned out to be a tumour
charlie_boo@reddit
I had similar around 10 years ago. Had all the symptoms of a specific type of cancer which had me panicking (not usually health anxious). Turn out it was my mattress! Dr was also non-interested at the time.
Elegant_Plantain1733@reddit
I have quite decent private cover, with access to private GPs who'll basically refer you for any specialist you want to see. I saw a Rheumatologist who said to go see the physio.
Honestly it is helping. Rheumatologist, GP and Physio all say the same thing - " if you have a slipped disc, so what. The treatment will be the same".
Private Physio should be about £40 per session. Get a dozen sessions should make a huge difference, and still will cost less than a self-referred MRI.
GiGGLED420@reddit
I’ll preface this by saying I have no idea about back pains and what can be picked up on an MRI for these.
I had a knee injury about two years ago and went to my GP that sent me to their very basic physio. They said I had a minor patella injury and gave me some pretty crappy exercises to do.
6 months went by with no improvement so I went online to an MRI comparison site, and booked in with my local hospital. It cost £300 to scan my knee and that includes a doctor to review your symptoms, refer you to the radiology centre, and then interpreter the results.
They found a sprained patella and a sprained ACL. The doctor sent me the report and a copy of the scans which I then passed to my GP. They then referred me to an actual sports physio for a 3 month program specifically for my injuries as it was no longer guesswork. The program completely fixed my knee and was basically lifechanging.
So yes, if it’s something that can be picked up on an MRI, I would 100% have no hesitation going straight for a private scan. It completely eliminated the guesswork and allowed me to get proper treatment.
ci_newman@reddit
An MRI will show a disc buldge or prolapse (had it happen twice to me). But it sounds like OPs problem isn't spinal and more muscular, hence why GP suggested physio.
Ysbrydion@reddit
Go and see a sports physio. It's the physio you need, not the MRI.
I don't even bother then GP for musculoskeletal stuff. Sports physio all the way.
Lonely-Job484@reddit
Who are you planning on getting to receive and analyse the MRI?
Private healthcare can be great, but I think you're starting at the wrong point. Get a referral to a consultant and get them to guide - they might suggest an MRI, but they might not.
Might even be getting private physio rather than waiting 4 months is a better idea - then you could start it Monday, and if no use you can tell GP physio didn't help...
QuickTemperature7014@reddit
Yup. You cannot self refer for a MRI. You need a medical professional to say one is advised.
gl_fh@reddit
You basically can. There are providers that offer imaging directly. You normally have a phone call with a requesting clinician as part of it, but it's effectively self referral with extra steps.
MrHistoricalHamster@reddit
Firstly. Remember the nhs is what you pay for. Every fucking day through taxes. Also the dr and nurses chose that career, they are doing their job. The nhs and this country has a way of making you feel like the nhs and the staff are doing you a favour. They’re not.
Go on chat gpt. Tell it your symptoms. Tell it you want the dr to order you an mri and what to say. If your dr still disagrees ask for another opinion. Insist on your mri. Countless stories of the nhs killing people because the dr doesn’t order the right tests.
We even have examples of drs removing moles in the country without sending them to be lab tests and skin cancer wiping out the patient 3 months later. Every mole should be checked. Regardless of what a dr thinks.
TLDR: your dr like doesn’t give a fuck about you. If you feel like you need an mri make sure you get one.
Forever_a_Kumquat@reddit
Even if the doctor does refer for an MRI, it will be at least 6 months away.
Sometimes it's worth just getting it done yourself. At least you then have something to go on.
Source.. been through the NHS back pain ringer for over 20 years...
MrHistoricalHamster@reddit
The fact that the wait is 6 months is another -1 for the nhs… some people with genuine symptoms will be dead by the time they have chance to be diagnosed. Just get a full check in Malaysia seems to be our only take on preventative medicine. Thank god for the nhs… z
AnonymousBanana7@reddit
I don't see how NHS staff choosing their job means they aren't doing the country a favour. The fact that they continue to do what they do despite the disgusting treatment from this country over the last 15+ years shows they very much are. The NHS runs on exploiting the goodwill of its staff.
MrHistoricalHamster@reddit
Because the chose to do it. If I chose to build my neighbour a fence because theirs blew down and they didn’t replace it. Is it okay for e to guilt trip them for the next 15 fucking years?
If I didn’t ask someone to do my washing but they hold it over me for the next week is that okay? No one asked them to fucking do it, yet they went and did it. They wanted a job they thought looked fun because they watched greys anatomy.
I worked in the med labs and had interaction with 1000s of doctors and nurses at university. Not one of them said they were doing it for the good of the country. They liked the look of the job and they thought it paid well. Simple. Any other thoughts process, is just a lie. 1/100 will do it for good causes. Like teachers. Most teachers are there because their degree was shit or they got a 2:2. Very rare you get a teacher that actually wants to help kids. (Teach first was selling this exact thing to people in my physics course that got 2:2’s) because they knew most companies they wanted to work for wouldn’t touch them.
What_Reality_@reddit
I’ve had a lot of problems with stuff like this. The best place to start is a physiotherapist, I always look for sports physios as they seem to just know more than the rest. It’ll cost you probably about 100 but they are totally worth it in my experience
AncientImprovement56@reddit
Have you asked your GP about whether an MRI would be worthwhile? If so, do you have any idea why they won't refer you for one?
If they won't refer you due to shortages, then going private may be worthwhile, but if they genuinely don't expect an MRI to provide useful information, then paying won't change that, but going to a private physio could be helpful.
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