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K~CANN Pittsburgh Chiropractic
2415 Sarah Street
Pittsburgh, Pa 15203
412.381.4453


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(<<< back)  So how do we improve on this poor success rate in the treatment of whiplash?

To start we must find the area or areas in the nervous system that have been injured and are not functioning properly due to the whiplash. This can be more difficult than it sounds because many of these neurological injuries involve loss of function and tests like X-rays or MRIs are useful for evaluating "structural" not:functional" problems. The truth is that an MRI, the most sophisticated diagnostic imaging test we have available to us, can be used only for assessing the structure of the body. The MRI is incapable of assessing the function of the nervous system and in fact was never intended to assess how well nerves are functioning.

So if a doctor can't see functional neurological problems even with an MRI scan, how can he identify and more importantly fix malfunctioning circuits in the brain, spinal cord or peripheral nerves?

The answer is straight forward; the doctor must use a functional neurological examination of the patient.

One important part of this functional neurological examination is assessment of a patient's ability to maintain his or her balance. This functional assessment of balance includes tests with eyes open, eyes closed, standing on a hard surface versus standing on a unstable surface.  I can't go into too much detail

in this article, but a comprehensive balance assessment can tell the doctor if a patient has a poorly functioning peripheral nervous system, if their spinal cord and brainstem is working optimally, even if their cerebellum, inner ear and if the brain itself is functioning optimally. Another functional assessment a doctor can perform to evaluate nervous system function in a patient who has suffered a whiplash is to do a detailed assessment of a patient's eye movements.

Most people don't realize that there are a number of different types or classifications of eye movements. Furthermore each type of eye movement is associated with a specific part of the brain. So eye movements, if they are comprehensively and systematically assessed can tell a doctor which part of a patient's brain is functioning optimally and more importantly those regions of the brain that maybe be structurally intact, but are functioning poorly.
                                
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Auto Accident Injury
Treatment in Pittsburgh


Find Pittsburgh doctors who treat whiplash

Your car isn’t the only think that is bent and twisted when you are in an accident.  No amount of pills can restore your spine to its pre-accident alignment.  You need to consult with a doctor who has experience in treating whiplash and auto-accident injuries. Click to learn more or call right now 412.381.4453