Chiropractic Neurological Approach to Vertigo Following a Whiplash Injury
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1
Life University, United States
Background: A 44-year-old female patient presented to a chiropractic clinic with a three-year history of severe dizziness, neck pain, and headaches, which began immediately after a motor vehicle accident.
Methods: Exam findings included spreading of the right C6 reflex, as well as relative slowing of rapid pronation-supination of the upper extremity and decreased accuracy while performing the finger-to-nose test, both more pronounced on the right. Upon testing tandem walk, the patient immediately lost balance to her left. Romberg’s test with eyes closed on a non-perturbed surface resulted in an immediate loss of balance, causing her to open her eyes and take a step to regain balance. The right anterior canal provocative head position made it impossible for the patient to stand upright with her eyes closed on a non-perturbed surface.
The interventions utilized in this case included Activator Method adjusting, one vestibular repositioning maneuver, gaze stability exercises, optokinetic activation, as well as complex motions with a right-sided bias. The course of care took place over six weeks in length, with one visit per week.
Results: As a result of these interventions, the patient’s symptoms markedly decreased, including the frequency and duration of her vertigo. The vertigo originally occurred daily and lasted 20 minutes, but was improved to only once per week lasting 5 minutes. Additionally, there were decreases in the severity of her neck pain and headaches, both reduced from 10/10 in severity to 3/10. Upon the Romberg re-evaluation on a non-perturbed surface with eyes closed, the patient demonstrated an ability to stand for 93 seconds, from an initial 0 seconds, before demonstrating a loss of balance needing to take an additional step and open her eyes.
Conclusion: The combination of chiropractic care with functional neurological applications proved to be a clinically valid and effective approach to the management of vertigo, as well as other whiplash-associated symptoms. Improvements in the objective and subjective complaints of this case warrant further research into the efficacy of brain-based treatment of whiplash.
Keywords:
Chiropractic,
Neurology,
motor vehicle accident,
Dizziness,
Vertigo
Conference:
International Symposium on Clinical Neuroscience 2018, Orlando, Florida, United States, 24 May - 26 May, 2018.
Presentation Type:
Poster
Topic:
Clinical Applications in health, disease, and injury to the nervous system
Citation:
Coppus
JA and
Esposito
SE
(2018). Chiropractic Neurological Approach to Vertigo Following a Whiplash Injury.
Front. Neurol.
Conference Abstract:
International Symposium on Clinical Neuroscience 2018.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fneur.2018.60.00041
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Received:
13 Feb 2018;
Published Online:
14 Dec 2018.
*
Correspondence:
Dr. Susan E Esposito, Life University, Marietta, United States, susanesposito@gmail.com