Why Your Neck MRI Isn’t a Diagnosis | Vertrae® 360 Short Deep Dive

An MRI can provide important information about the cervical spine, but the image alone does not always explain why you are experiencing neck pain, arm pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness.In this short episode, we explain why a neck MRI is only one part of a complete spine evaluation. Findings such as disc degeneration, herniated discs, bone spurs, or spinal stenosis may appear on imaging, but those findings need to be compared with your actual symptoms, medical history, and physical examination.We also discuss why two people with similar MRI results can experience very different symptoms and why treatment decisions should not be based on imaging alone.If you are trying to understand a cervical spine MRI, learning how imaging fits into the larger diagnostic process can help you have a more informed conversation with your provider and better understand your next steps.This episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.