Chiropractic is an effective treatment for cervical spine problems, and especially lower back pain. Chiropractitioners begin their assessments by taking a case history, which is routinely followed by an X-ray, full nerve and orthopaedic tests, motion range and peripheral damage checks. Treatment, usually cryotherapy and anti-inflammatory drugs, is conservative because of the pain. The use of collars is not advocated unless the problem is severe or there is a suspected fracture. Osteopaths treat the initial symptoms of whiplash in the same way as chiropractitioners, says osteopath Craig Coman of the College of Osteopaths.
Inflammation is treated with cold treatments and anti-inflammatory drugs are recommended.
Osteopaths use neuromuscular and muscle-energy techniques, and gentle soft tissue treatment, similar to massage, to release muscular hypertonicity, stretch muscles and improve the patient's pain threshold. Prognosis Prognosis after whiplash injury is normally good, and patients can expect to be back at work within a month. Most people who suffer whiplash injury have neck and head pain that clears within a few days, as a likely result of a simple sprain of neck muscles and ligaments. Poor prognostic signs after injury include objective neurological signs, a sharp reversal in the spinal curvature of the cervical vertebrae, the use of a neck collar for more than three months and any relapse requiring physiotherapeutic treatment. Arm symptoms and abnormal findings after cervical radiology are recognised as risk factors for prolonged disability.