Expert: Dr. J. Shawn Leatherman - 1/4/2008

Question
Hi,
I had a bad trauma on back of my neck 2 years ago. That time there was swelling and after medication it just went away. After 4 or 5 months I started experiencing pain in neck and upper back and tingling in hands. MRI report said PID C4-5 without any significant neural compression .I was hospitalized for traction and took medication. Doctors said that my neck's normal lordosis was lost and it got reversed .After 3 months the symptoms went away. Now 2 years later I am experiencing tingling and some time burning sensation in in my hands. Doctors now are saying that this tingling and inflammation is happening due to reversal of lordosis . I don't have pain in my neck region. I have met a physiotherapist and an Orthopaedic Surgeon and they are saying that doing the back exercise which strengthen neck and back muscles will reduce the angle and within 3 years my normal neck lordosis will be restored. Is the treatment fine or do you have any other suggestion for this restoring the cervical lordosis.

Answer
Dear Sarang,

That is a bunch of crap...you cannot restore the normal curve of the neck with strengthening exercises alone.  There has been a lot of research over the past 10-15 years on curve restoration, and all of the research shows that curve restoration requires intensive rehab to include postural exercise, specific neurological activation, traction or head weighting protocols.

Your physiotherpist and orthopedic surgeon are not trained in these protocols and most likely do not understand the neurological or ligamentous implications of structural spinal change.  Realize that bones move according to muscles, but their movement is also restricted by ligaments and neurological input.  If the neurological pathways are not stimulated in accordance with specifc directions, and the ligaments are not stretched over time, curve change will not occur.

The chiropractic profession has pioneered this research, but, less than 5% of the entire Chiropractic profession has been through this training and reached certification levels sufficient to restore the neck curve.  Lucky for you, I am well aware of the research and do this with my patients daily.

I would recommend that you check out two specific techniques for curve restoration:  Chiropractic Biophysics (CBP), and Pettibon technique. They are similar techniques but differ on the specific applications...but both programs will be similar.  Check out their respective websites below for more information on the techniques, the research, case studies, pre- and post x-ray results.

www.idealspine.com
www.pettibonsystem.com

The websites will also contain a physician listing of active doctors who have been through the coursework and have been tested for certification.  Find a doctor closest to your area who has been trained and hopefully certified proficient, and they will be able to gain much of the normal curve of you neck back.  I have been able to do this over 90% of the time with my patients...it just takes specific x-ray analysis of the curve and precise measurements to know where to apply the traction.

Good Luck Sarang.  Feel free to write back if you have any further comments or questions.

Respectfully,
Dr. J. Shawn Leatherman
www.suncoasthealthcare.net