Phase 1 of spinal decay

by Shirley
(Singapore)

Recently I had a bad whiplash while I'm doing a swimming sports(2mths ago). I went for "tui na", several kind of massage but my neck and right shoulder does not get any better.

so I decided to see a chiropractic doctor and finally I was diagnose with cervical spine(neck) 100% loss of normal curvature w pathological reverse curve at c3-4, causing degenerative chNges, cord tension n nerve interference lumbo-pelvic region(low bck) leg length inequality causing muscle imbalance with mild degenerative disc disease at L5-S1 all causing increase in degenerative chg and altered nerve function. So far I hv completed 5 adjustment.

Bcos of all this issue, I took up yoga class to strengthen my core which the dtr had agreed too. But after my 4th adjustment, I started to hv numbness on my both left and right hand(fm 4th and last finger). And now I felt weak and kind of aching on my left lowe foot. My chiropractic dtr told me tat this is the effect of my neck issue.

I'm kind of worried it look to me like a mild stroke. All the symptom only appear after I had my adjustment. Is this suppose to b the side effect? And when I complete my 24 adjustment, it w get better( going twice a week)

Hello Shirley,
Some discomfort, even pain are the side effects of all forms of treatment for your condition, but yes of course you are right to be concerned about the numbness in your C8 dermatome. It points definitely to your lower neck, not a mild stroke. Ask your chiropractor to check the reflexes- with a stroke, the reflex would be INCREASED which I very much doubt. Likewise the reflex in your leg where you feel the weakness.

A complete reversal of the curve does indeed point to a serious whiplash. If there are already degenerative changes in your neck, then it would point primarily to an old injury to your neck, aggravated by the new whiplash.

A condition like yours needs to be managed carefully. Some discomfort is not surprising, but you need to talk to your doctor frankly about these signs of increasing nerve tension. That happens sometimes in any practice, mine too, but obviously is not normal, and in my practice I would stop and re-evaluate my treatment protocol.

24 is a lot of treatment...

Standing on the weak leg alone, can you raise your big toe, stand on your toes without difficulty, and bounce up and down on that leg, bending the knee without any weak feeling? If you can't you certainly need to point it out to your chiropractor.

Perhaps print this out, and ask him for his reaction.

I hope this contributes. Again, you are right to be concerned, but you obviously have a difficult neck. Whiplash always leaves its mark, and yours certainly has.

Dr B