If you’re dealing with chronic joint pain—whether it’s in your back, hip, shoulder, knee, or elsewhere—one of the first steps you may consider is getting an X-ray. But what exactly does an X-ray reveal? And perhaps more importantly, what doesn’t it show?
At Michigan Integrative Health, we specialize in helping people who want to avoid surgery and are looking for drug-free solutions to chronic joint pain. Our medical team doesn’t follow the traditional insurance-based model of symptom management. Instead, we provide thorough evaluations and personalized care using natural, biologic products designed to heal and repair the body. Learn how X-rays fit into the bigger picture of evaluating joint pain, and why a more comprehensive, natural approach may be the solution you need to find relief and improve your quality of life.
What Can an X-Ray Actually Show?
An X-ray is a helpful tool to assess joint structure. At Michigan Integrative Health, we often use X-rays to identify:
- Degeneration or arthritis
- Narrowed joint space, which may suggest long-term instability
- Bone spurs or abnormal bony growths
- Fractures or evidence of bone-on-bone contact
What’s important to understand is that while an X-ray can reveal these structural changes, it cannot always tell you what’s causing your pain, and it certainly won’t reveal which treatment options will help resolve it.
What Won’t Show Up on an X-Ray?
X-rays don’t show soft tissue like muscles, tendons, or ligaments. Yet, damage to these tissues is a major cause of joint instability and pain. You could have a normal-looking X-ray and still be in pain every day.
Dr. Roy Picard explains that even if degeneration shows up on an X-ray, it doesn’t tell the whole story. He says, “The X-ray can show you how much damage, degeneration, or arthritis is in that particular joint, but it’s not going to tell you what options are available to reduce or resolve your pain, it’s not going to show your muscles, tendons, or ligaments.”
The real answers come from a detailed physical assessment that evaluates:
- Muscle strength and coordination
- Ability of muscles to contract and relax
- Range of motion and pain response under guided pressure
That’s why during your initial evaluation, we go beyond imaging. We assess the actual function of the joint and surrounding soft tissues to determine whether you might benefit from our care.
Why Our Evaluation Is Different
Unlike traditional insurance-based clinics, we don’t jump straight to medications or surgery. We take the time to evaluate what’s actually going on beneath the surface. At Michigan Integrative Health, we only accept patients who show a measurable improvement during their initial visit, such as increased range of motion, less pain, or improved strength.
This assessment helps determine if you’re a good candidate for natural, drug-free solutions like human cellular and tissue products derived from donated umbilical cord tissue. These treatments are designed to heal and repair damaged joints naturally, without dangerous side effects or invasive surgery.
Moving Beyond Traditional Treatments
The traditional system focuses on covering up symptoms with medications or delaying surgery. We focus on healing the root cause, without drugs or procedures that come with long-term consequences.
We are located on the border of Shelby Township and Rochester. We serve the Detroit Metro area as well as Ontario, Canada and northern Ohio. If you’re ready to explore a more complete, natural approach to chronic joint pain relief, call us today at 586-726-9860 to schedule your evaluation.
