Whiplash.

Whiplash while commonly due to a rear ended car collision can occur due to any sudden impact.  Often physicians diagnose patients affected by whiplash with muscle spasm.  Muscle spasm is usually self resolving over six weeks.  However chiropractors usually see patients months to years after the initial trauma presenting with headache neck spasm and pain radiating into one or both arms.  This occurs due to a secondary straightening of the cervical (neck) Curve.  This straightening or hypolordosis is usually missed at the time of initial medical assessment and overtime leads to disc herniation (slipped disc) at the C4/5 or C5/6 (mid neck) region of the spine.  This is evident on plain x-ray as a decrease in the space which the disc occupies or on an MRI which shows the actual disc protrusion.  Chiropractors will often opt for an x-ray over MRI due to 1. MRI is taken supine (lying down) which can often take pressure off the disc and not show the full extent of the problem and 2. x-rays are substantially cheaper than MRI and can give more information about the spinal alignment of the patient which is usually the cause of any disc herniation.  As an analogy imagine if you squeeze a water balloon in your hand.  The balloon will bulge.  Is the problem the bulge or the pressure you are putting on the balloon?  Obviously the pressure right?  well this is what happens when the cervical curve straightens.  Abnormal pressure is placed on the disc leading to a protrusion (Bulge).  This is why many patients who undergo surgery report a reoccurrence in symptoms after surgery.  The bulge has been removed but the pressure remains.  Simple right?

If pain is localised to the neck improvement of symptoms can be seen over 6-9 sessions of chiropractic adjustments.  However if radiculopathy (radiating arm pain) is present this can often take months to correct however this is still safer and less costly than surgery.