Whiplash - The Benefits of alternative medical treatment to traditional treatment

In August 2002, I was sat stationary at a roundabout in my car when I was hit at speed from behind. The force of the impact caused a whiplash injury, which was confirmed by the hospital the following day. I was prescribed painkillers and given a course of physiotherapy.

In November 2002, within a week of finishing my physiotherapy course, I was unfortunate enough to be hit from behind in my car, whilst in slow moving traffic. I knew instantly that I had suffered another whiplash injury. I went to hospital the next day for X-Rays and was referred by them for a further course of physiotherapy. This I did for 6 sessions before I was told that “time is the great healer” and “your back will recover in the next 12 months. Keep exercising without overdoing it”.

2003 was quite a miserable year for me. I was in pain a lot of the time and often my back and/or neck would ache through doing the smallest task e.g. bending over to do a shoe lace up. I lived with more or less a constant ache in my back and/or neck. I know people say toothache is bad but, having suffered both, I can assure anybody that back/neck ache is far worse - a tooth you can remove, your spine you can’t. When you live with a constant 24 hour ache it can become very depressing – Luckily I did manage to avoid anti-depressants. I visited my GP 2 or 3 times for more prescription painkillers (Co-Dydramol). Each time he did the basic checks on my back and re-assured me that matters would improve.

In December 2003, my back finally seized up. I could not move without extreme pain and had to literally fall out of bed. I was sent for more physiotherapy treatment but, to be honest, this did little to improve my long-term pain. I might feel ok for a few hours but, by the next day, the pain was back. I attended physiotherapy for 2 months until the beginning of February 2004, when the pain was so bad that I was signed-off sick. By now my GP was aware that my condition was worse than originally thought and I was referred to Mr B, a back specialist who again took further X-rays. Finding nothing surgically wrong with me, he advised that the pain was due to the soft tissues and muscles in my back/neck. He then referred me to a pain specialist – Dr E. Dr E spent over an hour examining and questioning me and arranged for a MRI scan. When she reviewed the results with me, she agreed that the pain was muscular. She suggested that I undergo Chiropractic treatment and recommended me to Dr Annette Dypping at the Eden Clinic.

I first saw Annette in mid-March 2004. After each session I felt improvement. I felt the muscles down my spine loosen and the pain disappear for longer spells. After 8 sessions (Mid-April) I was well enough to return to work part-time on a rehab programme. After a further 6 sessions, Annette suggested that I undertake some Acupuncture treatment as there were a few areas that she felt would better respond to Acupuncture. She recommended me to a colleague at the Eden Clinic – Adam Leighton – and I had my first session at the beginning of June and continued through to the end of July. Again, after each session, I saw improvement. Between mid-August and the beginning of December, I saw Annette a further 6 times. The gap between each session became longer as my back improved. At my December session, Annette suggested Pilates to me and recommended me to an excellent teacher – Carolyn Freaney. I saw Carolyn 6 times for 1 to 1 lessons and I now attend a Pilate’s lesson once a week, as well as doing my own Pilate’s exercise regime 2/3 times a week. It is now 12 months since I started Pilates and the benefits are truly amazing. The range of movement that I have now, I could not have imagined possible when I first started.

If I have learnt one thing from my car accidents, that is the benefit of Chiropractic, Acupuncture and Pilates as an effective combined treatment for whiplash. I only wish that I had been referred to the Eden Clinic back in November 2002. As well as recovering much quicker, I would not have suffered almost 18 months of constant back/neck ache.

When I think of the cost to the NHS of my treatment in terms of visits to my GP, drugs and physiotherapy, it saddens me. Had that money been spent on Chiropractic, Acupuncture and Pilates treatment then I am sure that they would have saved a considerable amount of money in my case – I hope that the NHS quickly recognises these forms of treatment for whiplash.

Tony Dunsford – 5th December 2005.