Citation

Hadley R. Clinical Chiropractic 2004; 7(2): 79-83.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004)

DOI

10.1016/j.clch.2003.11.003

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

An elderly patient presented to the clinic of a chiropractic college with bizarre neurological symptoms. History revealed a blow to the vertex of the head, followed by a fall backwards, resulting in possible additional head trauma. This precipitated a period of numbness on the patient's left side that was later replaced by hyperaesthesia and dysaesthesia. Painful sensations started in the feet and, over the course of 5 years, gradually ascended to include the entire left side of the body. Previous neurological consultations and MRI scanning had been carried out, but the patient was unaware of any diagnosis. The bizarre nature and pattern of pain suggested a thalamic origin; so-called central pain. The initiating trauma had most likely either caused a stroke or delayed ischaemia following a subarachnoid haemorrhage. A diagnosis of Dejerine-Roussy syndrome was made, but chiropractic care was considered inappropriate for the condition. Medical treatment is usually by amitriptyline and carbamezapine, but is not always successful. The prognosis is poor, with no resolution and reports of suicide in severe cases. © 2003 The College of Chiropractors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

human; female; aged; case report; head injury; stroke; article; anticonvulsive agent; amitriptyline; disease course; nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; carbamazepine; neurologic disease; side effect; Central pain; urine incontinence; paresthesia; neuropathic pain; neurologic examination; Adult human female; brain ischemia; Chiropractic; Dejerine-Roussy syndrome; dysesthesia; foot pain; hyperesthesia; manipulative medicine; subarachnoid hemorrhage; Thalamic pain; thalamus; thalamus syndrome