What's Ailing You?

> Allergies

> Asthma

> Bedwetting

> Colic

> Degenerative arthritis

> Elbow pain

> Fibromyalgia

> Headaches

> Heartburn

> Herniated disc

> Hip pain

> Knee pain

> Low back pain

> Middle back pain

> Migraines

> Neck pain

> Numbness and Tingling

> Pinched nerve

> Rib Pain / Chest Pain

> Sciatic Pain

> Scoliosis

> Shoulder pain

> Sinus problems

> Sleeping problems

> Spinal fracture

> Spinal surgery

> Spondylolisthesis

> Sports injury

> Vertigo and Dizziness

> Whiplash

Whiplash

Whiplash is a non-medical term used to describe injury caused by a rapid jerking of the neck either forward and backward or side-to-side. It is most often associated with motor vehicle accidents, but can also occur from falls, blows to the head, or sports accidents to name a few. The sudden, forceful movement with whiplash causes the neck to move beyond its normal range of motion. This can cause tearing in the muscles, tendons and ligaments, which support the neck and can lead to damage to the intervertebral disc, spinal nerves or even spinal cord. Symptoms include swelling and/or tenderness of the neck, difficulty swallowing, jaw problems, nausea, vomiting, flashes of light, headache, dizziness, cognitive disturbance, insomnia, pain, numbness and/or tingling into the shoulder or arm, weakness in the neck, shoulder, arm or hand, or ringing in the ears. Symptoms may be acute or chronic (longstanding). Often, symptoms of whiplash may not manifest for weeks or even years. Such an injury to the neck alters the proper biomechanics and can lead to misalignment (subluxation) and a loss of the natural curve of the cervical spine. A full 5% of the population will experience a whiplash injury, and 43% of these people will develop chronic symptoms.

Gonstead Chiropractic and Whiplash
Gonstead chiropractors work to correct the biomechanical problem causing the symptoms related to whiplash. A symptom-only approach (i.e. pain medication) will not correct the problem. One report examined 10,382 articles on neck injury and found traditional techniques for whiplash (collars, injections, ultrasound, medication) were largely ineffective. Several studies point to the success of chiropractic for whiplash sufferers. One found 26% were completely pain free after chiropractic intervention and the other 74% were significantly improved. Another found 93% improvement. Patients who undergo chiropractic care are found to have the natural curve of their necks restored, whereas patients who do not undergo chiropractic care tend be left with a straightened or even reverse curve in their neck.

What Gonstead patients are saying:

“I went to a Gonstead doctor because of my car accident. Now I take a lot less medication, have more range of motion and less headaches.”
> Jeri N.

“I was in a bad car accident many years ago, and I had a reversed neck. I never thought I would feel like myself again. Now I have no more headaches and very little neck pain. I also get ill much less now.”
> Kathleen B.

“I went to a Gonstead doctor following a car accident. I had been to other chiropractors before, but my experience seemed to be that they were in control. With the Gonstead doctor I feel like I have a choice in my own care. I would like to thank my Gonstead doctor for making a difference in my life.”
> Sherrie M.

“I had an old whiplash injury from a sledding accident. It was causing a lot of sharp pain when I turned my head to the right, which caused a lot of problems while driving. After a couple of weeks of dedicated Gonstead adjustments, my neck is now totally pain free.”
> Sharon

“I had a car accident. Gonstead chiropractic has helped me sleep at night, taken away the numbness in my arm and hand and I seldom have headaches.”
> Mary J.

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Journal of Orthopaedic Medicine- Winter 1999/2000; 21(1): 22-5.

Quebec Automobile Insurance Society report on whiplash treatments

Injury 1996; 27:643-5.

J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1983; 6:17-23.

Lancet, Brain SPECT findings in late whiplash syndrome, June 10, 1995, vol. 345, p. 1513-14.