I've thought about that Gwen. My PT has administered steroids through a
patch that has an electrical current that forces the steroid through the
skin.  That helped a lot, but I've had the limit of 8 treatments.  I've
gotta do something, I can't stand this much longer.

Thanks,
Gloria

The therapist should have given you ongoing mobility exercises for your
neck.

See my other post in this thread :)

Gloria, what, if anything, do they have you doing on an ongoing basis at home
to treat this?

Rattling off thoughts:  I've never had "straight neck" but have had a
reversed curve and had an S curve rather than a C curve and have had bulging
discs in my neck.  (geez, it sounds even worse when I list it all together!)  
Chiropractors and home traction eventually settled the first two - for a
while.  I've had good PT for the latter, but was sent home with stuff to do
when things flared up.

Your therapist may have done all he can, but what does he have you doing to
maintain what he accomplished?  At the least, I would think you should have
ongoing stretches and exercises to help.  Also there are a variety of home
treatments you can do to help the muscles settle back the way they should be.
The old tennis balls in a sock for massage and for resting the neck in a
proper curve are simple things but helpful when used regularly.

Oh, and I used to slather on Ben Gay around my neck and upper back muscles to
keep them from pulling things out altogether again between treatments.  And I
still have quite fond memories of the ultrasound unit my first chiro used on
my knotted up muscles.  Man, that was wonderful for getting out those knots.

I know with DDD you have to be a lot more careful about how your spine is
treated, but you might want to ask around about chiros in your area.  A good
one uses a lot of adjunct stuff like massage and ultrasound and exercises to
help you maintain any improvements.  

Hey Gloria.

I have a big question, you had xrays by a chiro right?  WHY didn't you have an orthopedic doc in the
ER see you.   I have had numerous neck problems and the only real way to SEE that neck and vertebre
is MRI.  The spine may look alright on xray but doesn't show exactly if the disks are ok and if
there is more problems there than you need right now.
IF you are not getting better, that suggests to me that there is something MORE wrong with that neck
than the chiro can take care of.

Been there done that and had to have a fusion done in my neck.  I saw a chiro and had neck problems
for years after my daughter was born, in the 70's so go figure LOL.  I had xrays and such also then
treated with acupuncture and well it worked really well for me. But chiro, no no, made my pain much
much worse.   Kept telling me pain will get  less and muscles pulled etc....but

Please get an MRI ordered by your doctor, family doc or who ever you see.  MRI with contrast, then
you will know.
this is not something to mess with honest.

Let me know and write me privately and I can try and help you out.  Is medcare paying for the chiro?
and why isn't the motor vehcile insurance paying for your care??????  that is the big question.
if it hurts DON"T DO it.   believe me.

huggs
janers

gloria,

bummer about the accident and damage to your neck, hon.  first off i think
janers' question/suggestion is a good one.

and i have one question/suggestion to offer, after reading your 3rd
paragraph, which made me go grrrrrrr.  do not trust the other guy's
insurance company, sweetie.  i can tell you from personal experience why
that is not a good thing to do, because of my head-on car wreck that i
didn't cause, but i'd be here all night typing.

why didn't you and i think you should get yourself a personal injury
attorney, on contingency, in view of the unresponsiveness of the other guy's
insurance company.  your attorney will deal with the other guy's insurance
company and you will get action much faster, without the additional stress
and you won't have to worry.  you deserve that, sweetie.

i don't want to alarm you with other things that can happen that i
experienced, so suffice it to say that witnesses, police reports, pertinent
documents and other evidence can get lost if you don't act and get an
attorney soon, hon.  also, there is a statue of limitations for filing this
kind of a lawsuit (in some states it is much less time than in other states)
and if you wait too long to do so, you may wind up incurring losses.
please, do think about getting an attorney to help you.

kate

What exactly does straight neck syndrome mean?  My GP did the x-rays and he
said instead of a curve in my neck, the vertebrae are in a straight
position.  He says the muscles in my neck are trying to compensate for the
forward and backward motion of my head in the wreck by stiffening and
pulling to try to right the position of my neck.  This compensation has
pulled the vertebrae into a straight position when there should be a gentle
curve. This has caused muscle spasms in my cervical and upper back muscles.
I have  many knots (spasmed muscles) that physical therapy has helped
greatly.  My therapist thinks he's done all he can and this is the best it's
going to get.  I've had 4 months of therapy but I haven't been for therapy
in 6 weeks now, and the pain, stiffness and knots are almost as bad as they
were in the beginning.  I have an order to continue therapy, but if it only
helps by going 3 times a week, I can't do that forever.  I'm having a heck
of a time with the insurance company of the guy that hit me.  I'm about
ready to throw in the towel because I'm tired of fighting them to pay the
medical bills.  But, if this is going to be permanent,  I have to consider
that.  I have only medicare and they don't pay when it's an Motor Vehicle
Accident, or MVA.
Are there any other tests that I should have? I'm thinking I should have an
MRI.  Any other types of tests or treatments?  I've had exercises, heat with
electrical stimulation, ultra sound and a medicated patch with a form of
corticosteroids delivered by electrical current, I forgot what the procedure
is called.  don't know where to go from here, I'm so tired of all of this.

Thanks,
Gloria