Question
Hello i was in a mild car crash 2 1/2 years ago and have just had an mri scan done i cant get to see the specialist for another 3 weeks but have the results and i was wondering if you could explain a few things that it says.
1- Mild dehydration affecting c4/5 and c5/6 discs. Disc heights are well maintained
2- Minor bulging at lower cervical levels
3- Mild straightening of normal cervical lordosis.
Could you explain all this for me and can this be repaired or will it get worse over time. I am 29 and a mum to a 11 month old and in alot of pain now with head aches and pins and needles in arm.
Also is there anything i could do to help it.

Answer
Tammie,  

The headaches with pins and needles indicate excessive muscular tension in your neck, which also causes bulging and changes of cervical (neck) curvature.

That kind of thing often happens in motor vehicle accidents.

If you were my client, I'd be working with you to retrain the muscular reflexes, triggered by the accident, that cause these problems.  With people who work directly with me, it's a straight-forward process; doing it by yourself is not so easy.  What you are working toward is control and relaxation of the involved muscles, something not so easily accomplished with adjustments, stretching, or traction.

It's not so much a "repair" process as much as a retraining process, so the tight muscles relax and permit free movement.  As to whether it will get worse, that's not so easy to answer, as sometimes reflexive muscular contractions increase over time.

You may read my articles on whiplash injuries and on headaches at somatics.com/page4b.htm, which explains the situation more and presents treatment options, including what you can do for yourself.  There are self-help programs, but to work with a practitioner is better.

with regard,
Lawrence Gold