The Dr. said " the neck xray should nothing unusual for a 53 year old, just some arthritis(why does it hurt so much then) and the same thing for the MRI just the usual 53 year old problems. What's a person to do. I am happy that nothing is seriously wrong, yet it doesn't make me feel better about all of the PCS symptoms I am experiencing.

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.

Mark, will you please explain the specific xray types? Thank you very much.

Should they take these before PT or is it OK to go ahead without knowing the specifics of the ligaments, muscles, etc.?

How do the MRI of the neck compare? Do they show the soft tissue injury?

Thank you very much.