Objective: This case report describes a young woman with traumatic cervical radiculopathy which was treated conservatively with chiropractic care to correct vertebral subluxations and spinal hygiene exercises resulting in complete resolution of her radicular symptoms.
Clinical Features: A 23 year old female developed right C8 radiculopathy within three weeks of jumping from a second story window in order to avoid bullets being shot at her during a home invasion robbery. Although the patient did not lose consciousness, she was transported via ambulance to the metropolitan trauma center where she was stabilized and received cervical spine and maxillofacial CT scans. She was treated conservatively with chiropractic adjustments to correct vertebral subluxations and spinal hygiene exercises. She denied the use of any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Intervention and Outcome: The patient’s C8 radicular symptoms resolved after 8 chiropractic adjustments and spinal hygiene exercises over a period of 4 weeks. One year after the patient’s traumatic event, she remains without radicular symptoms.
Conclusion: This case describes an unusual presentation, evaluation, diagnosis, and chiropractic treatment of trauma-induced C8 radiculopathy in a young female who was treated conservatively with chiropractic care to correct vertebral subluxations and spinal hygiene exercises resulting in complete resolution of radicular symptoms. Link to PDF version
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