This 20-year-old female
suffered from several health problems following an accident
in which she was hit by a wave while swimming in the ocean.
The wave caught her off guard and knocked her to the ground.
She described how her face and jaw hit the ground first, and
then her legs rolled up and over her head from the force of
the water, severely "pinching" her neck.
Immediately following the impact, her jaw "locked
up" and emergency room physicians "forced
open" her jaw in order to take x-rays of her neck. No
fractures were found.
Subsequent to the
accident, she developed chronic problems with her jaw. Her
jaw frequently "locked up" and while she wore a
mouth splint regularly, the jaw problems continued. In
addition, she suffered with pain and muscle spasms
throughout her spine and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
She described all of her muscles as being painful and weak.
After no success with
multiple different therapies and treatments, she sought help
from upper cervical chiropractic care. During her
evaluation, a spinal injury stemming from her upper neck was
found. During her upper cervical care period, her symptoms
gradually lessened. She was able to go without wearing the
jaw splint and was able to close her mouth completely and
open and shut it without having it lock up on her. In
addition, all of her pain decreased dramatically and she was
able to get back to a regular exercise, work, and school
schedule.
Female,
Age 47 years, Fibromyalgia, Whiplash
This 47-year-old female
suffered from fibromyalgia for four years prior to seeking
help from upper cervical care. Her symptoms began one month
following an auto accident in which her head whipped back
and forth (whiplash). She felt the pain most often in her
back, neck, shoulders, chest, and hands. The pain in her
chest became so strong at times that it hurt to breathe.
During her initial
exam, myofascial trigger points were palpable throughout her
back, neck, chest, and legs. Her hands were so painful that
she had difficulty opening them or making fists. She rated
the pain as an 8 or 9 on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the
most severe. She tried many drugs including amitriptyline to
reduce the pain enough to help her sleep at night. Her upper
cervical exam revealed an upper neck injury, which most
likely occurred during her auto accident. After 6 months of
upper cervical care, she routinely reported the pain being
down at a tolerable "3" level-- a level which no
longer ruled her life. She was able to discontinue
medications. She had not had pain during breathing and
participated more actively in life with minimal discomfort.
Female,
Age 43 years, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
This 43-year-old female
suffered with chronic pain and fatigue for over two decades
before finally being diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic
fatigue syndrome. She tried physical therapy, water therapy,
medications, and massage to no avail. Her pain and fatigue
levels had caused her to quit work as a seamstress because
lifting bolts of fabric, etc. had been too painful for her.
During her upper
cervical chiropractic evaluation, an upper neck injury was
discovered. She was questioned as to past traumatic
accidents and remember two severe auto accidents that
preceded the onset of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue
symptoms-one rollover auto accident and one in which she was
rear-ended at 70 mph. After two months of upper cervical
care, due to the fact that her sleep had improved
tremendously, her energy was increased, and her pain levels
were greatly reduced, she was able to return to work as a
seamstress without pain.
Female, Age 46 years,
Fibromyalgia, Neck Pain
This 46-year-old female
suffered from chronic pain in her neck, arms, shoulders, and
legs for seven years before seeking help from upper cervical
care. Her fibromyalgia diagnosis followed closely after an
accident in which a 22-pound briefcase fell from an overhead
bin in an airplane and landed on her head. Because she
worked at a computer all day, her work was greatly impaired
by pain in her neck and arms. She was forced to work reduced
hours, suffered in pain on a daily basis, and took many pain
and sleep medications to combat the pain.
During her upper
cervical chiropractic examination, an upper neck injury was
found, which probably stemmed from her overhead bin luggage
accident. After several months of upper cervical care, her
pain was greatly reduced and she was able to return to full
hours at work. On days where she did not work at the
computer at all, she was pain-free.
Female, Age 40 years,
Fibromyalgia, Neck and Back Spasms
After suffering for 16
years with chronic neck and back pain, this 40-year-old
female was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Her neck and back
spasmed frequently so that she was forced to stop whatever
she was doing, lie down, apply ice, and take painkillers.
Sometimes she was bedridden due to the pain and spasms.
Also, she frequently had trouble sleeping and could lie
awake for hours every night.
At this patient's
initial consultation, she claimed she had always believed
her problems were coming from her neck because she had
sustained several injuries to her neck prior to the onset of
her symptoms. She had suffered a whiplash auto accident, a
fall on a waterslide, and a sledding accident. She had tried
numerous practitioners over the years to fix her neck injury
but nothing was successful. Finally she was referred for an
upper cervical chiropractic examination.
During her upper
cervical exam, an upper neck injury was discovered, which
was still present despite her previous treatments and
therapies. During her first two months of care, the pain
levels lessened and spasm episodes decreased. In addition,
she began to sleep through the night and felt increased
energy and well being. Several months later, she was free of
pain and muscle spasms.
