Below are some of the more common questions we are asked by our patients. If you do not find the answers you are looking for on our website, you may contact our office at any time. We will be happy to answer your questions and assist you in any way we can.

What is whiplash?
Whiplash is the result of impulsive stretching of the spine, often the result of a rear-end collision between cars or trucks.

Clinically, whiplash is described as an acceleration-deceleration mechanism of energy transfer to the neck. It may result from rear end or side-impact motor vehicle collisions, but can also occur during diving and other mishaps. The impact may result in bony or soft-tissue injuries (whiplash injury), this in turn may lead to a variety of clinical manifestations (Whiplash-Associated Disorders). The consequences of whiplash range from mild pain for a few days, to severe disability caused by restricted head movement and persistent pain.

How does a chiropractor treat whiplash?
Chiropractors are specialists in treating non-surgical spine injuries and commonly treat whiplash injuries from car accidents. The job of the chiropractor is to help the patient overcome pain and the disability associated with whiplash. The process of rehabilitation from a whiplash injury requires a concerted effort between the chiropractor, the patient and any other professional assisting in the case.

After a detailed review of specific information regarding the whiplash injury, the chiropractor will ask about any other symptoms that may be related to the pain, such as numbness, tingling, weakness, dizziness, or blurred or double vision. The chiropractor will conduct a neurological examination which involves a cranial nerve examination, sensory, motor and reflex examination of the extremities, and tests for injury in the brain.

Maneuvers will be carried out by the chiropractor that stresses certain tissues to see if they have been injured by the whiplash. The chiropractor will perform motion palpation, designed to assess the mobility and pain reactions in the joints of the spine. The muscles of the spine will be examined by the chiropractor for areas of congestion called myofascial trigger points, which are common sources of pain after whiplash.

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What is low back pain?
Low back pain can be either an acute or chronic disabling condition. It will affect most people at some stage in their life and accounts for more sick leave taken than any other single condition.

An acute lower back injury may be caused by a traumatic event, like a car accident or a fall. It occurs suddenly and its victims will usually be able to pinpoint exactly when it happened. In acute cases, the structures damaged will more than likely be soft tissue like muscles, ligaments and tendons. With a serious accident, vertebral fractures in the lumbar spine may also occur.

Chronic lower back pain usually has a more insidious onset, occurring over a long period of time. Causes include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, degeneration of the discs between the vertebrae or a lumbar disc herniation, or tumors (including cancer).

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What are headaches?
A headache (medically known as cephalalgia) is a condition of pain in the head; sometimes neck or upper back pain may also be interpreted as a headache. It ranks amongst the most common local pain complaints.

Headaches have a wide variety of causes, ranging from eye strain, sinusitis and tension to life-threatening conditions such as encephalitis, meningitis, cerebral aneurysms and brain tumors. When the headache occurs in conjunction with a head injury the cause is usually quite evident; however, many causes are more unclear. The most common type of headache is a tension headache. Some experience headaches when dehydrated; caffeine withdrawal is another common cause.

Treatment of uncomplicated headache is usually symptomatic with over-the-counter painkillers such as aspirin, paracetamol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen, although some specific forms of headaches (e.g. migraine) may demand other, more suitable treatment.

Why shouldn't I just take drugs to relieve my headache?
In studies where drug therapy was compared to chiropractic adjustments, the drug therapy was considered more immediately effective than chiropractic. However 82% of the patients had side effects which included drowsiness, weight gain and dry mouth. Cardiac problems and glaucoma were also associated with some members in the drug use group.

Chiropractic patients had no side effects (apart from very slight neck stiffness).

After the chiropractic and drug therapy was halted (in both groups), the patients who used drugs began having headaches again while the chiropractic group continued to express headache relief. They also reported higher levels of energy and vitality than the drug therapy group.

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• incomplete rehabilitation of past injuries
• lack of proper and periodic spinal alignments
• presence of cervical spine subluxations
• whiplash-type injuries
• improper workstation setup
• poor posture
• prolonged sitting
• prolonged use of non-ergonomically designed equipment
• excessive repetitive neck motions
• improper telephone techniques
• excessive mental stress
• physical inactivity
• poor diet and nutritional practices

• Pinched nerve
• Sciatica
• Herniated disc (or herniated disk)
• Bulging disc
• Ruptured disc
• Slipped disc
• Disc protrusion
• Disc degeneration
• Degenerative disc disease
• Disc disease
• Black disc

What is arthritis?
Arthritis (from Greek arthro-, joint + -itis, inflammation; plural: arthritides) is a group of conditions that affect the health of the bone joints in the body. One in three adult Americans suffers from some form of arthritis, and the disease affects about twice as many women as men.Arthritic diseases include rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, which are autoimmune diseases; septic arthritis, caused by joint infection; and the more common osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease. Arthritis can be caused from strains and injuries from repetitive motion, sports, overexertion and falls. Unlike the autoimmune diseases, osteoarthritis largely affects older people, and results from the degeneration of joint cartilage. Arthritic joints can be sensitive to weather changes. The increased sensitivity is thought to be caused by the affected joints developing extra nerve endings in an attempt to protect the joint from further damage.

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What are sports injuries?
In the past, sports injuries were mostly limited to professional athletes, young people participating in school sports programs, and men participating in weekend activities such as rugby. However more and more people of all ages and both sexes are doing regular sports and fitness activities. There are even women now doing traditional men's sports such as soccer, basketball and rugby. However the majority of people are involved in such activities as golf, tennis, running and activities such as aerobic classes or weight training. No matter what activity one does, there is always the risk of injury. Injury can be broken down into two basic types, one from trauma such as a slip, fall or collision and the other being of the over-use or repetitive stress variety.

Of course it is important to get the injury properly assessed by a health care professional so to know the extent of damage. Most of these injuries can recover though do need proper care during the various stages of healing. If not manage carefully some sprains and strains can leave us with long lasting problems of joint instability, painful or weak joints and muscles, and lack of mobility. A Chiropractor who is trained in the management of sports injury can give you the proper advice and treatment to insure that your injury will heal in the best possible way.

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