It sounds like your family doctor wants to check for kidney stones. To do this a CAT (CT) scan is done typically without any oral or intravenous contrast material. The CT is done with thin sections through the kidneys, ureters (the tubes from the kidneys to the bladder) and the bladder to look for any stones (calculi) that may be causing any blockages and thereby flank pain.

CAT Scan is a commonly used term that refers to Computed Axial Tomography. CAT or CT Scanning was developed after Ultrasound and uses x-ray technology. CAT Scanning is fast, patient friendly and has the unique ability to image a combination of soft tissue, bone, and blood vessels. It is a multi use imaging system. For many computed tomography examinations, patients may be asked to take a special contrast agent (orally, rectally or via injection).

Flank pain often starts as a little discomfort in the area above one or both kidneys. It may feel as if a nerve is pinched in that area, and the skin over the kidneys may be very sensitive to the touch. If the area over the kidneys is sore - but not the area over the spine - you should suspect flank pain. There are no good medical treatments for flank pain.

Emergency treatment may be needed if you have a very large herniation, bowel or bladder problems, a foot drop or pain so severe that medications are ineffective.

Chronic pain, by its very definition, lasts a long time and is difficult to treat. The treatment depends on the type of pain. Midline back pain is usually due to a broken bone, a bad facet joint, or a bad disc. Leg pain can be due to spinal stenosis or a chronic disc herniation. Multi-disciplinary pain clinics can be very helpful. They provide counseling, help in coping with pain, special expertise in adjusting medications or using the drugs in combination.

Pain pills that you can buy without a prescription probably will not be strong enough. No studies have evaluated the effectiveness of acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), or naproxen (Aleve), but these drugs rarely produce significant pain relief in PHN. Some people use capsaicin cream, which is sold as a pain reliever for arthritis. But it takes a long time to work (usually at least 4 to 6 weeks applying it 3 times a day) and it can cause a severe burning sensation.

X-ray is electromagnetic radiation capable of penetrating solids, used to photograph and examine parts of the body, and the X signifies their unknown nature. Ultrasound is sound with a frequency greater than 20,000 Hz, approximately the upper limit of human hearing. It is used to photograph and examine parts of the body. A CAT Scan, or C (Computerized) A (Axial) T (Tomography), uses a scanner x-ray machine to take a cross section x-ray image of the body. It is also called a CT scan.

Cataracts usually start as very small and practically unnoticeable but grow gradually larger and cloudier. Your doctor is probably waiting until the cataract interferes significantly with your vision and your lifestyle. You need to continue to visit your eye doctor regularly so the cataract's progress is monitored. Some cataracts never really reach the stage where they should be removed.

There are cases in which the physician is puzzled by the illness and death, and permission to perform an autopsy may be an important contribution to medical science. The choice between permitting the autopsy and donating the body to the Department of Anatomy must be made by the survivors. However, the Department of Anatomy does not accept a body upon which an autopsy has been performed.

I have asked Dr. Piller this question a few times and heard others ask him as well. His response was always that he meets lots of people at conferences and seminars, etc., but he actually has no way of knowing how they practise their profession. Return to top.

You can go to any doctor, any hospital, anywhere in the United States with NO questions asked, as long as they accept Medicare and the PFFS plan.

In general, having a cat is not a problem, you must let your male partner clean the litter box during and after your pregnancy. You must discuss with your physician testing for Toxoplasma, other parasites such as round worms. Also, it is wise to check your cat and start a deworm program ASAP web.vet.cornell.edu/Public/FHC/toxo.html .

Doctors and nurses will assess the type (acute or chronic and nociceptive or neuropathic) and the severity of pain before prescribing pain medication. Frequently, doctors or nurses will ask patients to rate their pain on a scale from 0 (no pain at all) to 10 (the worst pain imaginable).

Yes. Pain that stays after the shingles rash is gone is called post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN). The doctor can give you treatment to help with the pain of PHN. It is important to go to a doctor who is familiar with all of the drugs used to treat PHN. A pain specialist should be consulted if your doctor does not commonly treat PHN.

Generally the scans are read the same day or next morning and a preliminary hand written report is faxed to your Doctor at that time. The formal typed report will be ready within 24 to 48 hours and sent by mail. You will be provided with one complimentary set of images at the time of the scan to take to your Doctors. We suggest that you keep up with these images. If they are lost, we will provide another set at a cost of $75.00.

Just as you need a roadmap to plot your course when driving to a different city, a neurosurgeon needs an accurate picture of the anatomy of your body in order to see what must be done at surgery. Sometimes MRI scans are of poor quality. This can occur for a number of different reasons.

Pain is your body's way of telling you that there may be something seriously wrong. Your provider must make sure that you are not having another problem which is causing the pain.

If you have just injured yourself or are getting continual soreness from an area of your body, then it’s a good idea to get it checked out by your own doctor. He/she can make sure there is no damage to any tendons or joints and could recommend physiotherapy, massage, chiropractic therapy, acupuncture or something else.

Patients who have chronic pain are best treated with medications given on a regular basis throughout the day. Usually doctors prescribe long-acting pain medicines that work for 8 to 12 hours. Research has shown that treating chronic pain with doses around the clock prevents the pain from building up to the point in which it is much more difficult to control. Return to Top

In most cases, it is not necessary to see a doctor for back pain because pain usually goes away with or without treatment. However, a trip to the doctor is probably a good idea if you have numbness or tingling, if your pain is severe and doesn't improve with medications and rest, or if you have pain after a fall or an injury.

This map shows the location of the hospital. You can also get driving directions by filling out the form below the map and clicking the "get directions" button.

One of the most basic differences between the two tests is that CAT Scanning uses x-rays and MRI does not. In most situations, MRI is superior to CAT in the demonstration of soft tissue pathology. Your doctor can best advise which test would be most appropriate for you.

These costly, sophisticated machines require specialists who will perform the tests and interpret the results. Should your clinician recommend these tests, you will be referred to an outside agency.

Dr. Sally Rockwell: Counseling for food allergies, candida yeast, hypoglycemia, hyperactivity, eating disorders, and diabetes. Books and tapes include allergy free, gluten-free, dairy-free recipes, elimination and rotation diets, and non-dairy calcium. Seattle, Washington.

It is an herb that is widely used in Europe by doctors for all liver disorders, such as hepatitis and jaundice. Milk thistle can stimulate the production of new liver cells. People who breathe in chemical smells, ie: painter, hairdresser, could benefit from taking milk thistle. Milk thistle is available in capsules and extracts.