Lumbar spine MRI has become very common among adults all over the world. Every city or town has clinics where lower back MRI or a normal lumbar mri is done frequently. One of the main reasons for back MRI is the growing back pain problem among young and old adults. There are various reasons why these back pains have become common.
Enough evidence shows that sitting for prolonged hours can cause excessive back pain. Some work schedules force us to sit and work long hours, increasing back pain. However, back pain may be because of several other reasons. Going for a lumbar MRI to check the condition becomes very important.
Equally important is to know its cost.
Did you know now it is possible to find the real costs of the Lumbar Spine MRI or any other procedure ahead of time. You can also compare prices from different providers in your locality and make a well-informed decision.
ZeaHealth has created a healthcare marketplace- ZeaMed where you can find and compare prices of the Lumbar Spine MRI.
However, before going for an MRI, it is important to know about the Lumbar spine MRI and how to prepare for it.
What is a Lumbar MRI?
Before we understand what Lumbar MRI is, let us know the Lumbar spine. The lumbar spine, as some doctors call the lumbosacral spine, is part of the spine that consists of five lumbar vertebral bones, the coccyx, and the sacrum. The lumbar spine also has blood vessels, nerves, tissues, and several other things.
Any pain, discomfort, or injury at the lumbar spine may be dangerous for us. To arrest the underlying cause, doctors advise a lumbar spine or lower back MRI. Sometimes, people may also experience a bulged disc in that area. Even in that case, a bulging disc MRI may be helpful.
Purpose of Lumbar Spine MRI:
Your physician may advise you to get a lumbar spine MRI, a back MRI or a bulging disc MRI for various reasons, including
- Prolonged back pain
- Lower back pain with fever
- Any physical injury at the back
- Multiple sclerosis
- Congenital disabilities
- Signs of spinal cancer
- Checking spinal alignment
- Checking for tumors
How to prepare for an MRI for lower back pain?
Preparation for a lower back MRI is quite simple. However, you need to inform your physician about your medical history beforehand. Any internal machine, like a pacemaker, should be removed before MRI. Any such electronic device interferes with MRI scanning. You will need to remove the following things before going for a spine MRI
- Pacemaker (your physician may look for other methods of performing the MRI with the pacemaker)
- Stents
- Prosthetic body parts
- Plates
- Implants
- Pins
How much does a lumbar spine MRI cost near me?
The cost of any medical procedure varies from one facility to another. The price will also vary based on the insurance type of the patient. If a patient is uninsured, they will have to pay the entire cost of the procedure.
However, the CMS has mandated all hospitals to publish the cost of their shoppable services publicly on their websites. This enables price transparency for consumers. They can know and estimate the cost of the procedure beforehand.
ZeaHealth is on the mission to make healthcare shoppable as airline tickets. We empower consumers with the transparent costs.
The consumers can visit ZeaMed-our healthcare marketplace and search for the costs of Lumbar Spine MRI in their locality. Our special AI healthcare tool, ZeaTool can help you compare the Lumbar spine MRI costs for you. The marketplace shows and compares the gross price, cash prices, minimum and maximum negotiated prices. They can choose the facility offering the lowest cost and save huge costs.
References:
https://www.healthline.com/health/lumbar-mri-scan#purpose
https://affordablescan.com/blog/lumbar-spine-mri-cost/
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