X-rays only show hard bone, not soft tissue. The soft tissue such as cartilage, ligaments and tendons do not show up without a contrast solution injection. That would be risky for a neck injury.

The arthritis may actually be an injury but medicine does not look at the joints in the neck the way a chiro would. They do not believe in the alignment and spacing issues chiros focus on.

Too bad medicine is so full of turf wars. It would be beneficial if the different discipline could work together.

There is a chiropractic trained researcher at the Oregon Health Sciences University who has extensive knowledge about whiplash and the mechanics of such injuries.
Check out http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/education/sch...?facultyid=474

Also, http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/health...ntentId=P01388

May Dr Mike has written a paper about imaging the neck. I have emailed with him and he has given me specific x-ray types to request from my local doctor for further exam. He is a very helpful person.