Questions re scan costs...

[mineofuselessinformation]

I'd be grateful if anyone can help.
Long story short: history of osteoarthritis, hyper mobility and now piroformis syndrome. Several family members have osteoporosis.
For the above reasons, I'd like to get a private lumbar MRI and bone density scan.
If anyone has recent experience of paying privately? (GP just keeps referring me to physio, they keep giving me exercises it won't actually see me in person, or even over video call).
An idea of the costs involved would be very helpful.

Anyone? (Pretty please!)

It's very easy to get costs for these sorts of things from a private hospital. Just find out the closest one to you and give them a ring.

I paid to have a private MRI scan in September 2019 after my GP wouldn't refer me. I went through a company called Visa Health. I could have gone to several different hospitals and I didn't need a referral. I paid on the day and received my results 4 days later

Oh and it cost £450, I had to have the open scanner. The closed one was £350

Hi, I am a physio. In all honesty, there is little correlation between scans and symptoms. The scan might show OA but the exercises are to treat that. Piriformis syndrome sounds a lot worse than it actually is in terms of it being easily treatable, again with exercises, self care advice etc.

You're being treated for those things as per guidelines and will be treated the same way if the scans confirm. I don't know your subjective history but if the OA is severe, you could go down joint replacement route.

I'm not sure what a scan would add.to.piriformis syndrome? Physio is standard treatment, and a scan won't change that as there are no surgical options. Ime, stretched and voltarol suppositores are what got me through. It's tender now and again now, and I start the stretches again and use anti inflammatories straight away and it tends to not get to the level of pain it was before.

Ask your GP if you need a dexa scan. Osteoarthritis can make bone density scans difficult to interpret due to the bone spurs adding extra density to bones, and of course the degeneration can lower overall bone density while it could be just specific joints affected. I'd be more inclined to ask GP for calcium, vitamin D and mineral bloods first.

If you do decide to go ahead, MRIs in spire recently cost me £450 for both jaw joints, with a breakdown of £300 for one and £150 for the second one. Previously I've had a brain MRI (open) for £450, both of these of course with consultation costs on top.

@HitsAndMrs, perhaps I should have been more specific in my OP, so apologies for that. I've seen an osteopath who is concerned about a joint in my lumbar spine (it clunks when I walk, and I always have some degree of pain, plus muscles going into spasm on a regular basis).
My joint problems have been going on for over 20 years, but are now impacting my ability to do my job - I can't do it without sufficient mobility (due to coronavirus, without going into too much detail).
I'm so tired of not sleeping well and waking up in pain to a degree every day. I have flares of pain in multiple joints, but am regularly in pain from one of my shoulders, both hips and both knees. I've asked and asked, but have been fobbed off.
I take cocodamol if I'm in a lot of pain, I sleep on a version of a ripple mattress and exercise to try to keep my muscles strong (due to the hyper mobility).
With the greatest of respect, unless you've experienced nerve pain (I never had before) you have no idea - I ended up using a walking stick for a while as the pain of putting too much weight one one of my legs was excruciating. I am doing exercises, and they are helping - but I'm only in this position because I could afford to see an osteopath privately. My GP just referred me for an x-ray and threw medication at me.
Please don't think I'm attacking physios (although they have refused to join the dots for me on multiple occasions, but that's my experience in my location, and may not be what patients experience elsewhere), I'm not, and in fact have great respect for HCPs.

Thank you @housemdwaswrong, that's helpful.
From the information I have been able to glean from the internet (many places don't openly publish prices), I'm expecting to pay upwards of £500 for the lumbar MRI, and probably £200 plus for the bone density. But, of course, I don't know how realistic this is.
And then, they need a referral from a GP or consultant. I don't have a consultant. My GP practice are sadly, not that good - but the only ones I can go to.
I just want some answers, and feel I've put up with 'just take painkillers and go away' for long enough.

Hi, your osteopath should be able to refer you for a private MRI scan, and will know the cost. I think it's wise to get a scan, rather than just accept what you have been told by your GP or physio - been there, done that.

@TiltTopTable, if my osteopath can refer me, that's what I'm going to do. I need answers.
I have no cartilage left behind the top of my right kneecap - the NHS physiotherapy services got me the MRI that told me this, but also discharged me at the same time due to slimming down their services. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Recent pelvic / abdominal MRI with contrast (for Gynae issues) was £325. If you tell your GP you'd like a private referral they'll probably do it.