What tests are used to diagnose musculoskeletal pain?
At Children's Hospital Colorado, your child's doctor will perform a full history and physical exam to help determine the cause of the pain. At our Chronic Pain Clinic, this includes a complete assessment of the pain history and previous workup, a physical therapy evaluation and an assessment of all psychosocial factors that play a role in your child's pain.
Imaging tests are often used in the evaluation of musculoskeletal pain; these tests include X-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans and sometimes MRIs. CT scans and MRIs are longer exams and may require sedation. Sometimes laboratory tests looking for signs of inflammation may be ordered. While this would require a blood sample, our nurses and laboratory technicians are highly skilled at working with pediatric patients.
At Children's Colorado, we always keep your child's comfort in mind and our clinicians will order the fewest and least invasive tests possible in order to make the proper diagnosis. Specialists at the Chronic Pain Clinic will use these test results to help create an individualized plan for your child’s pain.
Why choose Children's Colorado for these tests?
We have a vast array of medical specialty teams available to help diagnose and treat your child's pain. We have almost every medical specialty and subspecialty available in our hospital, and we work with each other to provide the best care possible for your child.
Not only do all specialists have access to your child's electronic medical record, but we are also constantly talking with each other to help figure out the best treatment for your child. If your child needs sedation or anesthesia for their test or procedure, we have over 50 specialty-trained pediatric anesthesiologists and anesthetists who will make sure your child is safe and comfortable during the test or procedure.
What to expect from the tests?
These test range from very fast and non-invasive, to longer and more invasive studies that may require an IV or a blood draw. We make every effort to make sure your child is comfortable; we have child life specialists that can help provide comfort and distractions to children who are anxious or scared.
How do providers at Children's Colorado diagnose musculoskeletal pain?
The providers at Children's Colorado will integrate all the information from the history, physical exam and diagnostic tests to figure out the source of your child's pain. In more complex cases, providers may make referrals to other specialists to help with accurate diagnosis and to figure out the best treatment plan for your child. We all work together to find the answer to the problem and the best way to help fix it.