MRI scan any use?

Hello.

Wondering if anyone has had an MRI and whether it was of any use?

I have had a diagnosis of 'potentially' pudendal neuralgia. I have pain in the perinium when sitting, and an abrasive sensation in that area. I also have a history of lower back issues. An MRI when I was 30 showed a weak disc at S3.

On the NHS website, an MRI is one option for pudendal neuralgia. I am interested in this - perhaps it might help diagnose the cause.

However, I have been unable to persuade my GP, and also the doctor and physio at the pain management dept. They say my lower back seems ok - this is due to my daily regime of lower back exercises and taking care of myself!

Anyway - has anyone had a diagnosis from an MRI, has it helped show the cause of pelvic pain? I don't know whether to carry on trying to persuade my GP so any advice would be welcomed, thanks.

[Hidden]

As I understand it nerves don't show up on an MRI so it is not used to diagnose PN, rather to rule out other conditions. I've had an pelvic and lower back MRI that showed nothing, but a diagnosis of Pudendal nerve entrapment from symptoms and nerve blocks. I would suggest a referral to a specialist pain consultant or a women's health physiotherapist to help diagnose the problem. Hope this helps.

[chillijava]

hi

i too have had various mri scans and none have shown pudendal nerve problems, i was told in france that pne cannot be seen with an mri but it does help to rule out other condition or problems

[Hidden in reply to chillijava]

Thanks.

[marybeex4]

Me too. I had an MRI and I think it was for eliminating other possible issues. My pudendal entrapment didnt show with this but that's what the problem was found to be in the end

[cdee]

Ask for a referral to a pain team. They can make order MRIs. You really need a MRN to show nerve damage (there is one at UCLH). Of course this also serves to rule out treatable problems. Hope this helps.

[Hidden in reply to cdee]

Thanks. My local pain mgnt centre said it was not their role to provide an MRI...so back to my GP who sent me to a walk-in physio service for back problems - physio there was perplexed by my description of pelvic pain and took some persuading that an MRI might be useful to rule out lower back issues - now booked in to see a musco-skeletal physio. I know I have a lower back issue from a previous MRI, and hope that an MRI can explain my pelvic pain, or at least rule out a back/disc proble. Thanks.

[cdee in reply to Hidden]

Sorry to hear that. I am also sick of being bounced around between GP, multiple hospitals, clinics etc. My local pain team ordered an MRI. My pain team (part of UCLH) at the National Hospital ordered a MRN for me.