Probably not yet — and that's good news. National guidelines are consistent: for most back pain, imaging in the first six weeks doesn't improve outcomes. It can make them worse.
MRIs are extremely sensitive — they find disc bulges, degeneration, and arthritis in huge numbers of people with no pain at all. Studies of pain-free adults show disc degeneration in roughly a third of 20-somethings and most people over 60. When an MRI finds one of these normal-aging changes, it often gets blamed for pain it isn't causing — leading to worry, unnecessary procedures, and sometimes surgery on a finding that was never the problem.
When an MRI IS the right move
A history and hands-on exam sort back pain more accurately than a scan in the early weeks: where it radiates, what movements provoke it, reflexes and strength. That's enough to start targeted treatment — PT, Chiropractic care, or medical management — while the 6-week clock runs. If you're not tracking toward better, imaging happens then, with a specific question for it to answer.
Every clinic below has Chiropractic, Physical Therapy, Acupuncture and Pain Management on one chart, so care can move between them without a new referral.
Downtown out through the north, west, south and east suburbs.
Academy, Interquest and Tenderfoot cover the north, central and south of the city.
Harmony in Fort Collins and our Greeley clinic serve Larimer and Weld counties.
Across the Valley, from the West Valley through Phoenix to the East Valley.
Severity alone doesn't predict anything dangerous; the red flags above do. Severe pain with a normal exam usually still starts with conservative care.
Most plans require 6 weeks of conservative care first unless red flags are present — the guideline and the coverage rules match.
X-rays show bone (fractures, alignment); MRI shows discs and nerves. Different questions, different tools.
Imaging is reviewed and ordered where it is indicated at Mountain View Pain Center clinics in Colorado and Arizona — see the full clinic map, Colorado or Arizona.
