X-Ray
Most people with back pain, neck pain, or sports injuries do not need an X-ray.
Many painful conditions involve soft tissues (muscles, ligaments, tendons) that do not show up well on X-rays. However, X-rays can be very helpful if there’s a concern about bone or joint damage.
You might be advised to have one if you have:
- A recent injury or trauma
- History of certain types of cancer
- Back pain you haven’t had before that hasn’t improved after ~6 weeks
- Pain at night or unexplained weight loss
- A family history of certain types of arthritis
Patients with a recent history of trauma, certain types of cancer, new episodes of back pain they haven't experienced before that have not resolved in 6 weeks, pain at night, unexplained weight loss or temperature, certain types of bowel disease or a family history of certain types of arthritis my be advised to have an X-ray.
Can I just book and appointment for an x-ray?
We can accept referrals from other regulated healthcare professionals (e.g., GP, Physiotherapist, Chiropractor, Consultant).
If you have a written referral, we can take your X-ray and give you the results to take back with you.
If you don’t have a referral, we can still arrange an X-ray — but we’ll first assess you as a new patient to make sure it’s appropriate.
DEXA (Osteoporosis Scans)
DEXA Scans (Osteoporosis Screening)
We also offer pDEXA scans — a quick, low-dose scan of your heel to assess bone density.
- Takes about 2 minutes
- You receive a printout showing your bone density
- Useful if you’re at risk of osteoporosis or osteopaenia
- No referral needed — you can book directly with us
If results show low bone density, this scan can support referral for central NHS scanning (spine/hips) or treatment with your GP.
Note: Osteoporosis often has no symptoms until a fracture occurs.
Blood Tests / MRI / C-T / Ultrasound and Specialist Imaging
Specialist Imaging
Sometimes we may identify something during your examination that needs further imaging like MRI, CT, ultrasound, or blood tests.
In those cases, we will work with your GP or consultant to arrange the necessary tests.
We can also request previous NHS imaging if available to avoid duplication