Chiropractic: 'The Only Proven, Effective Treatment for Whiplash'

Recently, the British Journal of Orthopaedic Medicine(1999) 22(1):22-25 reported that "chiropractic is the only proven effective treatment in chronic cases" of whiplash injury. The study was prompted by a previous article in the journal Injury which demonstrated that chiropractic treatment had benefited 26 out of 28 patients suffering from chronic whiplash syndrome.

The authors of the British study begin their paper by explaining that "Conventional treatment of patients with whiplash is disappointing". The study found that 74% of patients improved following chiropractic treatment and went on to examine which cases would respond best. A group of 93 consecutive chiropractic referrals of patients who were suffering chronic whiplash symptoms were divided into 3 groups according to symptom patterns. These patients received an average of 19.3 chiropractic treatments or adjustments over a course of 4.1 months. The patients were then surveyed. The results were as follows:

Group 1 In this group were patients with "neck pain radiating in a 'coat hanger' distribution, associated with restricted ranges of neck motion but with no neurological deficit"

After chiropractic treatment this group showed the following results: 24% were asymptomatic, 24% improved by two symptom grades, 24% improved by one symptom grade and 28% showed no improvement.

Group 2 In this group were patients with "neurological symptoms, signs or both in association with neck pain and a restricted range of neck movement"

After chiropractic treatment the results were as follows: 38% asymptomatic, 43% improved by two symptom grades, 13% improved by one symptom grade and 6% showed no improvement.

Group 3 This group was comprised of patients who described "severe neck pain but all of whom had a full range of motion and no neurological symptoms or signs". These patients also "described an unusual complex of symptoms" including "blackouts, visual disturbances, nausea, vomiting and chest pain, along with a nondermatomal (i.e. illogical) distribution of pain.

After treatment, this group had the following results: 0% asymptomatic, 9% improved by two symptom grades, 18% improved by one symptom grade, 64% no improvement, 9% got worse.

The study concluded "such a group of non-responders does exist, represented by group 3. The defining characteristics in this group were the full range of neck movement in association with neck pain, bizarre symptoms, female sex and ongoing litigation".

The article concluded, "The results from this study provide further evidence that chiropractic is an effective treatment for chronic whiplash symptoms." and that 74% of patients (69 out of 93) improved following treatment by a chiropractor.

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