From time to time, Ben will use the blog to present interesting cases, which showcase the variety of conditions that chiropractic can help.
´This case is about KB, a 34 year old lady who presented to the clinic with a 2 year history of headache. Her problems had started after she was involved in a road traffic accident, and she was experiencing a constant dull head pain, interspersed with sporadic, stronger migraine type episodes.
The accident had seemed to be relatively minor: KB was the seat belted driver of a stationary car which was rear shunted by a car which was slowing to stop. At the time of the accident she experienced a few days of head pain which subsided; the constant headaches came on after a few weeks.
KB worked at home spending long periods of time at a computer which had been ergonomically assessed and passed as a suitable work station.
KB came to see me after the constant headaches, intermittent migraines and right sided neck pain become too much to cope with. I undertook a full orthopaedic and neurological examination which revealed a right sided weakness in the upper limb and signs of facet joint irritation.
As the pain was chronic and had been so unresponsive to other forms of treatment, we elected to take X-rays to exclude any serious problems in the spinal system. These showed damage to the bottom discs of the cervical (neck) spine and a loss of the natural curvature seen in this part of the spine.
I diagnosed the patient as having chronic, post traumatic moderate cervical facet syndrome with associated cervicogenic migraines. After a discussion of the investigations and findings, KB elected to have a course of spinal manipulation therapy.
She responded very favourably to the treatment. She has had complete alleviation of the constant dull headaches and the episodic migraines. I am still working to alleviate the neck pain, although this and the right upper limb weakness are vastly improved. KB is very happy with the outcomes thus far. She is able to manage her busy life as a working mum pain free and in a more positive way.’
