Mri

[gk10002000]

Have a flare up of an old old lower back L5 disk injury. Might just be inflammation of the nerve or some local swelling but leg sciatica type of pain is happening. Back in 1971 I had an old fashioned mylogram and they removed a protruding disk. Nowadays, an MRI exam would be done. Is it worth getting looked at in Pattaya? Any recommendations? Any price ranges known by anyone? Thanks

[Bagwan]

Have a flare up of an old old lower back L5 disk injury. Might just be inflammation of the nerve or some local swelling but leg sciatica type of pain is happening. Back in 1971 I had an old fashioned mylogram and they removed a protruding disk. Nowadays, an MRI exam would be done. Is it worth getting looked at in Pattaya? Any recommendations? Any price ranges known by anyone? Thanks

I suffered from lower back pain for a number of years after herniating a disc twice. The Royal Orthopedic Hospital in Birmingham couldn't help and BPH here in Pattaya tried a number of different treatments all to no avail. I even tried acupuncture administered by a shyster Californian. I eventually found lasting relief from a visiting masseuse who trained at Wat Pho for a couple of years. She soon sorted me out and I call her in at the slightest hint of a problem. Her charges are reasonable and she speaks excellent English. if you want to give her a try PM me for details.

I understand that an MRI scan will set you back a significant number of shekels and if you decide to follow that route it will be worthwhile shopping around. For most procedures the variation of charges is quite significant.

[jimmym40]

I've had back problems for over 30 yrs, one surgery, two herniated discs with a double fusion. Surgery was just tempory relief, lasted about a year. I'm back now to where I was 27 years ago.

Anyway to answer one of your questions. I live in Chiang Mai and checked the two hospitals here that have MRI capability. Each quoted me 2,000 baht for an MRI, however, that would be just for lower back probably because I also have neck problems and asked for the whole back MRI and they said that would be done in 3 phases, so total back MRI I guess would be 6,000 baht.

[PhilHarries]

Just posted this on the other thread on same subject.

MRI at the Bumrungrad, Bangkok in March cost 10,335 Baht for scan and 2,665 Baht for operator.

[gymshark]

I have a similar problem and after suffering for years went to see a doc at Vibhavadi hospital in Bangkok laste year. He sent me for an MRI (The next day mind you, not in 6 months time as in UK) and it cost me around 7000 Baht.

Went back to the doc then next day and he gave me some exercises to do and it has been 90% improved.

Good luck.

[Sheryl]

First of all - no matter what type of therapy you opt for, be it surgery, physical therapy, chirpractic or massage, you do need an MRI first and quite possibly also a regular Xray of the spine. Both chirpractic and massage can be of benefit in many conditions, but there are also conditions in which they are dangerous or at the least, the practiotiner needs to be aware of and take appropriate precautions. If you are thinking of chircpractic or massage, after getting your MRI discuss with the doctor whether therse would be safe options and whether any special precautions need to be observed in your particular case.

As to cost, they do indeed vary. I just came back from taking a friend for one and also for the first of what will be many consultations with a variety of practitioners. Our first medical appointment was at BNH. They charge 8,500 Baht per part (i.e. if spine, section of spine; my friend needed both cervical and lumbar). So we went instead to Phayathai 2 which charges 6,000, got the MRI there and then brought it with us to the consultation at BNH. Since 2 different spinal sections were involved the total savings was 5,000 baht. For film of perfectly fine quality.

Could have actually saved much more had I realized that part of the charge was the radiologist's fee for interpretation, since we were taking the film elsewhere for interpretation anyhow. I didn't realize this until I saw the itemized bill. Just the MRI, without interpreattion, would have been 3,800 Baht each. (How amenable they would have been to doing it that way I don't know, not having asked, but it's worth a shot).

It is worth paying extra to see a top specialist for consultation. It is not worth paying substantially more for the MRI he will read if you can get it done at much lower cost elsewhere.

Your problem in Pattaya is that there aren't that many options to choose from. If there are any mid-sized private hospitals frequented by middle-class Thais, could try there. Say you have a doctor already and do not need interpretation, just the film.

There are some very cheap imaging places and these should be avoided as quality of film can be poor. But any reputable hospital should be able to give you a good quality film

[gk10002000]

Thanks all for the information so far. I really do appreciate that.

[Sheryl]

Here's a giggle..in the course of deciding where to get the MRI done I had emailed Bummers/ Finally got thei reply (MRI already donme as described previousl) and it was...11,800 per spinal segment.

So here you have it, exact same test with film of (as far as I or teh doctors rerading them can tell) same quality:

Bumrungrad 11,800

BNH 8,500

Phayathai 6,000

Of clourse there is an obvious convenience to having tests done at the same hospital that you are consulting doctor at, but the potential savings of comparison shopping and having the diagnostic test done at a less expensive facility are substantial.

[drbill]

Wanted to let you be aware that the vast majority of MD's are not qualified to interprete MRI studies .Not all physicians & surgeons are qualified to practice in all area's of medicine.Similar to not all attorneys being qualified in all areas of the law,nor all tradesmen capable in all trades.The specialist medical doctor in imaging is known as a diagnostic radiologist.The interpretation of the MRI has to be correlated with your clinical findings as determined by your specialist medical doctor known as a neurologist to plan a course of treatment. Hope that your condition improves.

[drbill]

Also be aware that there is a vast difference in the quality of MRI scans.If your medical doctor is not a radiologist he/she likely will not know the difference. A 1.5 tesla magnet is what you may want to have your scan on say rather than a 0.3 tesla magnet.The imaging protocols also have to be considered.The technologists must be qualified. It's really not just sticking a patient down the bore of a magnet and pushing a button to obtain a good diagnostic scan ,although that is what most lay people believe, but much more.This might explain some of the differences in cost. Not certain though...since this is Thailand.

Edited June 6, 2008 by drbill

[Sheryl]

Absolutely correct, drbill, and this is why the many cheap imaging places are to be avoided. However the 3 hospitals I cite are all of interbnational standard with highly qualified radiologists and technologists and no difference in protocol. The cost differences cited are not related to anything of medical impoirtance. (A brief glance at the landscaping, lobbies and valet parking services etc of the places menbtioned will speak volumes as to what exactly you are paying so much more for).

Definitely there are places where things cost less because the medical quality is less, and they should be avoided. But among the private hospitals which are specifically targeting the wealthy Thai and foreigner market, things cost more than they need to in order to underwrite the spa-cum-luxury hotel atmosphere and decor, the high level of English spoken, and the extremely high profit margin these establishments are enjoying.

Despite that, it is often worth going to them as the best specialists are often to be found there (and their websites make it easy to establish this fact). For just a consultationm, the extra charge is just going tio be a few hundred baht at most. However, when paying out of pocket and having more than just a consultation done (i.e. having surgerty or a complex diagnostioc work-up), a great deal of money can be saved by getting tests done elsewhere and providing the results to the doctor. "Elsewhere"should of course not be a hole-in-the-wall lab or imaging shop but an accredited hospital.

[Bagwan]

The last time I read anything about treatment for lower back pain in the UK the message was 'Sorry folks, we give up. Everything that we have tried in treating people doesn't fit the bill. You'll just have to get on with it.'

The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital told me I had two options. Lie in bed for a week or three until it gets better, or put yourself about, ignore the pain and recover in a week.

Head up, shoulders back, chest out, stomach in worked for me. Helps to maintain a good lordosis.

[ArtfulD]

The last time I read anything about treatment for lower back pain in the UK the message was 'Sorry folks, we give up. Everything that we have tried in treating people doesn't fit the bill. You'll just have to get on with it.'

The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital told me I had two options. Lie in bed for a week or three until it gets better, or put yourself about, ignore the pain and recover in a week.

Head up, shoulders back, chest out, stomach in worked for me. Helps to maintain a good lordosis.

I just got the basic same thing today from Bangkok Pattaya.....was given strong pain killers and a steroid injection and basically told to live with it....asked about potential scans, CRT. X-rays etc and he was like "why bother? I wouldn't operate on you anyway because your back is in such a bad way" (my back is in a severe condition)...he just mimicked what a spinal surgeon told me in the UK, their all too scared to even contemplate it....but the UK guy cost me 12 000 baht for a 15 min session (BUPA private, wasn't going to wait 9 months to see the same guy at a NHS hospital) while the guy today cost me 600 baht (+700 baht for meds which have helped)...

[AmeriThai]

I've had MRI scans done at this place a couple of times. The last one was almost 2 years ago. For what I needed to have done the cost was 8000 baht which included the film prints and the radiologist's report. The quality was excellent in my opinion, as well as the opinion of doctors in the U.S. who used the film prints and the radiologist's report for a procedure I had done. As mentioned, it's best to have a referral from a medical specialist done so they know exactly where and what needs to be scanned.

http://www.mrithailand.com/e_index.html