Careful not to excite my degenerating neck joint, I choose my physical activities as wisely as possible to avoid unnecessary aggravation. Cycling, which exerts less strain on the affected area is a favourite, and so when the recent snow arrived, I was annoyed at having to curtail my exercise until the thaw. However I couldn't wait. During a respite in the weather I ventured out into the park. Generally the snow had cleared, but here and there a few annoying, icy patches still remained. Dismounting, I pushed my bike over one of them as carefully as I could.
However, without warning, the front wheel began slipping from under me and still holding on to the bike, I crashed down on to the handlebar structure - its central stem forcing itself up into my right armpit. Agony!
Immediately I self diagnosed broken ribs, punctured lung . the lot - and I lay on the ice for several startled seconds before realising that I was still alive (and breathing) and everything was OK - apart from understandable shock and pain. However, I had landed on my right side - the side where my neck discomfort is most problematical.

My GP cleared me of broken ribs and other traumas, and sent me to a chiropractor.
By this time, the jolt of the accident had transformed itself into the familiar spreading pain from neck into head and shoulders.
Now the work had to begin.
My chiropractor, a very pleasant young man called Jan took my cycling mishap history, and indicated the couch for hands - on inspection. After a few palpating moments, he diagnosed that I must have sustained a form of whiplash - just from falling over with a bike!
The neck, painful and set after the fall had to be released from its rigidity, and it's here than the fun started. (Patient relaxation is vital in chiropractic manipulation . but can be difficult to achieve, especially if you know that an extremely vital part of your anatomy is to be twisted and wrenched until the satisfactory 'crunch' is heard - and felt).
On this occasion I was very guarded, as I knew the crunch would be a big one. Jan told me to wiggle my toes (distraction tactic) and as I wiggled, he wrenched. Ah!

Relief took over - but then came the left side - usually OK - but this time as bad as the right. Oh God, two for the price of one! Wiggling away footwise again, I was crunched. 'What is that noise?' I asked.
'Oh, it's the gasses escaping'.
'Gasses?'
'Yes, carbon dioxide and nitrogen'.
'How does that get there?'.
'Well, it's the waste product caused by inflammation within the joint'.
'So long as it's not carbon monoxide', I joked.
'Ah no,' said Jan, and asked me to turn over.

Next the back. Apparently the fall and subsequent jarring of the accident had put my intercostal muscles into spasm. (This I could guess at, as turning over in bed had become almost impossible - the weight of my female chest appendages pulling on the affected ribs).
Manipulation of the spine is a crushing experience! Once into position (by physical contortions of both practitioner and patient), short but forceful amounts of pressure are applied to the offending vertebrae. Breathing in, and then out when the actual deed is done is essential. Even then it feels like being squeezed in a vice.
But hey - no pain, no gain.
After this came a nice massage with minty icy gel, Jan picking out the very sore areas and applying pressure to ease the spasm. By this time, I felt that there was nothing wrong with me at all, the slightly anaesthetic gel making the whole procedure quite pleasant.
Session over and a few words of advice later, I skipped out of the building and drove home, having booked my next appointment for the following week.

Some pain usually follows manipulation, and the use of heat or ice pads during the recovery period is very beneficial, helping to ease inflammation caused by the initial injury and the effects of the treatment.
Chiropractic cannot cure arthritic conditions, but can go a long way in easing and reducing the painful effects they cause. This, combined with good posture, appropriate exercise and weight control will prolong your activity throughout the years.

That - and of course keeping off the ice.