Services Our Team Schedule Appointment Locations Patient Resources Research and Publications Links		Laboratory Tests Why are lab tests ordered?  Lab tests may be ordered by your physician to help look for other conditions that may be contributing to your pain. Lab tests involve testing of samples of blood, urine, stool or sputum samples. The information gleaned from these test will provide valuable information about other possible causes of your pain. For example, rheumatologic conditions such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis may be causes of back, neck and limb pain. These conditions may not respond to typical treatment for more common causes of pain. By identifying these causes, your physician will be able to provide you with the proper treatment for the conditions. Lab tests are also utilized to monitor the function of your liver, kidney and blood production, which may be affected by spine and limb conditions, medication or infection. Your doctor may order periodic screening tests to ensure that any changes will be promptly identified and treated. Where are they done? Lab testing is typically done at an outside specialized lab facility or in a hospital setting. Your physician will be able to coordinate with your primary care provider and referring provider to ensure that all results are communicated between all your health care providers.