Resolution of Cervical Radiculopathy in a 61 Year Old Female Receiving Subluxation Based Chiropractic Care: A Case Report
Adele L. Lorigan, Shelley Smith, Helen Bennett MLIS, BA, NZLA Cert
Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research ~ September 9, 2015 ~ Pages 154-156
Abstract
Objective: To describe a case in which cervical radiculopathy in a geriatric patient improved while they were receiving chiropractic care.
Clinical Features: This case report outlines the presentation and conservative management of a 61 year old New Zealand Samoan female with chronic progressive symptomatic radiculopathy. The working diagnosis was vertebral subluxation with C5 and C6 radiculopathy with moderate to severe degeneration. The patient history revealed chronic progressive cervical radiculopathy for two months prior to commencing chiropractic care. The patient had numbness and a burning sensation in the right arm and stiffness in the lower cervical spine.
Interventions and Outcomes: The patient received chiropractic care using the Diversified protocol to adjust vertebral subluxations. After 11 visits the patient reported a significant improvement in numbness and tingling in her arm and improvement in quality of life as demonstrated by the RAND 36 health survey.
Conclusions: In this case cervical radiculopathy in a geriatric patient improved while she received chiropractic care. This case study adds to the existing body of evidence that suggests that chiropractic care may help patients with cervical radiculopathy.
Key words:Vertebral subluxation, paresthesia, chiropractic, cervical radiculopathy, conservative therapy, geriatric
