Chronic Headaches and Neck Pain After Whiplash Helped by Chiropractic

A case study published in the Journal of Contemporary Chiropractic on February 14, 2020, describes the improvement with chiropractic of a woman who had been suffering with headaches and neck pain after a whiplash injury.

A normal neck curve as seen from the side x-ray should show a sweeping curvature forward. When the curvature is reduced or reversed, known as a cervical kyphosis, it is many times associated with a number of health issues. According to this study, two of the more common issues seen with cervical kyphosis are neck pain and headaches.

Headaches and neck pain are very common problems. The study reports that "Tension-type headaches are the most common headache worldwide affecting greater than 40% of the population. Neck pain is also prevalent and will affect up to 70% of the population." They note that these problems are commonly seen together. "Those suffering from headache have a high chance of also having neck pain, a 90% prevalence rate, particularly following motor vehicle collisions (MVCs)."

In this case, a 29-year old mother of 3 went to the chiropractor with a chief complaint of severe headaches. The woman had been suffering with headaches for 13 years ever since being involved in a motor vehicle accident from which she was diagnosed with severe whiplash. Over the years, her headaches persisted and got worse.

The woman also suffered from neck and upper back pain as well as lower back pain. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst, she rated her pain as follows: headaches 8 out of 10, upper back pain 4 out of 10, and lower back pain 8-9 out of 10. She also was suffering with numbness in her legs and feet as well as cold fingers, right arm pain, ringing in her ears, difficulty digesting greasy foods, low energy, restless legs, cramping, and irregular periods.

An examination showed limited muscle strength as well as reduced ranges of motion. A side x-ray of her neck showed a reversal of her neck curve in the upper portion of her neck. Based upon these findings, specific chiropractic care, along with home exercises, was started to address these issues.

After care was started, a re-examination was performed and showed an increase in muscle strength as well as a greater range of motion. As care continued, the woman reported that her neck pain had reduced by 90%, and her lower back pain improved by 70%. She also reported that she was no longer having severe headaches and dizziness, except for an occasional slight headache. Additionally, the woman reported that she no longer suffered from cold fingers, ringing in her ears, restless legs, pelvic cramping and irregular periods.

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Have Brunch Outside! 

Recipe: Skillet Eggs with Mushrooms and Asparagus

• 1/2 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into large pieces
• 4 ounces oyster mushrooms, trimmed and torn
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 8 large eggs
• 1/2 baguette, sliced on the bias
• Chopped fresh parsley, grated parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes, for topping

1. Preheat a grill to medium high. Put the asparagus and mushrooms in separate bowls; toss each with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon thyme and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Place the asparagus and mushrooms on opposite sides of a grill basket and grill, tossing occasionally, until tender and browned around the edges, about 3 minutes for the asparagus and 7 minutes for the mushrooms. Remove to a large plate.
2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet on the grill; add the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Crack the eggs into a bowl, then pour into the skillet; season with salt. Scatter the vegetables around the egg whites, avoiding the yolks. Cook, rotating the skillet, until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, 5 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, grill the bread until lightly charred, 1 minute per side.
3. Remove the skillet from the grill and sprinkle with parsley, parmesan and red pepper flakes. Serve with grilled bread.

Newsletter References:

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Food Network Magazine