by Dr. David Lee, D.C. | Mar 6, 2012 | Auto Accident Injuries, Chiropractic Medicine, Whiplash |
MN Chiropractor Whiplash is a neck and spinal injury most commonly caused by a rear-end car collision. Generally, the driver and passengers in the vehicle that was hit from behind sustain the whiplash injury. But occupants in the other vehicle might also sustain a similar injury, although it is technically not whiplash. The impact of a rear-end collision will force the neck and head to whip back and forth suddenly, stretching the body beyond its normal range of movement. If you have been involved in a car accident, whiplash injuries need to be taken very seriously. Because symptoms of a whiplash injury can take weeks or months to manifest, it is easy to be fooled into thinking that you are not as injured as you really are. Symptoms from a car accident injury and whiplash may include radiating pain into the shoulder, elbow pain, wrist pain or hand pain, low back pain, headaches and more. In whiplash research, many articles that conflict or contradict each other. Most whiplash symptoms develop within 24 hours of the injury and may include: Neck pain and stiffness Headaches, most commonly at the base of the skull Dizziness Blurred vision Fatigue Some people also experience: Difficulty concentrating Memory problems Ringing in the ears Sleep disturbances Irritability The goal of this is to discuss the “truth” about whiplash. It is more common to have a delay in the onset of whiplash symptoms. Symptoms may start about two hours after the initial injury or it may take days, weeks, or months before you feel anything. For whiplash caused by car accidents, the severity depends on the...
by Dr. David Lee, D.C. | Aug 9, 2011 | Auto Accident Injuries, Whiplash |
What Is Whiplash? Whiplash is neck injuries that can occur during rear-end automobile collisions, when your head suddenly moves backward and then forward — similar to the motion of someone cracking a whip. These extreme motions push your neck muscles and ligaments beyond their normal range of motion. Whiplash injuries can be mild or severe. Treatment typically begins with over-the-counter pain relievers and ice applied to the painful neck muscles. If pain persists, prescription medications and physical therapy may be helpful. Most people recover from whiplash in just a few weeks, but some people with whiplash injuries develop chronic conditions that can be extremely painful and disabling. Most whiplash symptoms develop within 24 hours of the injury and may include: Neck pain and stiffness Headaches, most commonly at the base of the skull Dizziness Blurred vision Fatigue Some people also experience: Difficulty concentrating Memory problems Ringing in the ears Sleep disturbances Irritability While most people involved in minor motor vehicle accidents recover quickly without any chronic symptoms, some continue to experience symptoms for years after the injury. This wide variation in symptoms after relatively minor injuries has led some to suggest that, in many cases, whiplash is not so much a real physiologic injury, but that symptoms are more created as a result of potential economic gain. Many clinical studies have investigated this issue. Unfortunately, while there will always be people willing to attempt to mislead the system for personal gain, nevertheless, whiplash is a real condition with real symptoms. Fortunately, whiplash is typically not a life threatening injury, but it can lead to a prolonged period of partial...
by Dr. David Lee, D.C. | Aug 4, 2011 | Lower Back Pain, Middle Back Pain, Neck Pain, Upper Back Pain, Whiplash |
Whiplash Causes The exact injury mechanism that causes whiplash injuries is unknown. A whiplash injury may be the result of impulsive stretching of the spine, mainly the ligament: anterior longitudinal ligament which is stretched or tears, as the head snaps forward and then back again causing a whiplash injury. Whiplash may be caused by any motion similar to a rear-end collision in a motor vehicle, such as may take place on a roller coaster or other rides at an amusement park, sports injuries such as skiing accidents, other modes of transportation such as airplane travel, or from being hit, kicked or shaken. Shaken baby syndrome can result in a whiplash injury. Whiplash Symptoms Symptoms reported by sufferers include: pain and aching to the neck and back, referred pain to the shoulders, sensory disturbance (such as pins and needles) to the arms & legs and headaches. Symptoms can appear directly after the injury, but often are not felt until days afterwards. Whiplash is usually confined to the spinal cord, and the most common areas of the spinal cord affected by whiplash are the neck, and the mid-back (middle of the spine). Depending on the nature and severity of any continuing symptoms, the doctor may refer the patient to another Doctor of Chiropractic who specializes in the rehabilitation of these types of injuries. The doctor may also encourage physical therapy and monitor the patient for other injuries that may have been aggravated. Until you can see a doctor you might want to ice down the trouble areas using a wrapped cloth and null the pain with an over the counter pain killer. Many people take rest for granted but the truth is getting proper rest can help your mental mind state become...
by Dr. David Lee, D.C. | Jul 19, 2011 | Auto Accident Injuries, Whiplash |
Learn About Whiplash Whiplash is a nonmedical term used to describe neck pain following an injury to the soft tissues of your neck (specifically ligaments, tendons, and muscles). It is caused by an abnormal motion or force applied to your neck that causes movement beyond the neck’s normal range of motion. Whiplash happens in motor vehicle accidents, sporting activities, accidental falls, and assault. The term whiplash was first used in 1928, and despite its replacement by synonyms (such as acceleration flexion-extension neck injury and soft tissue cervical hyperextension injury), it continues to be used to describe this common soft tissue neck injury. Your doctor may use the more specific terms of cervical sprain, cervical strain, or hyperextension injury. Whiplash Causes The most frequent cause of whiplash is a car accident. The speed of the cars involved in the accident or the amount of physical damage to the car may not relate to the intensity of neck injury; speeds as low as 15 miles per hour can produce enough energy to cause whiplash in occupants, whether or not they wear seat belts. Other common causes of whiplash include contact sport injuries and blows to the head from a falling object or being assaulted. Repetitive stress injuries or chronic strain involving the neck (such as using your neck to hold the phone) are common, non-acute causes. Child abuse, particularly the shaking of a child, can also result in this injury as well as in more serious injuries to the child’s brain or spinal cord. When to Seek Medical Care The best time to call your doctor is immediately after the injury. If the patient cannot determine whether an emergency...
by Dr. David Lee, D.C. | Jul 14, 2011 | Auto Accident Injuries, Whiplash |
Whiplash And Neck Pain | Chiropractic Care And Whiplash There you are, driving your vehicle– then CRUNCH! With the startling event of being rear-ended you make a quick personal assessment, you seem fine… or are you? Although you may feel fine, you may have received a serious injury called whiplash… a painful and very deceiving injury. Whiplash damage occurs when your neck is stretched back and forth beyond its natural range of motion. The neck is especially vulnerable to this type of injury because of its ability to move in so many directions. What’s interesting is that your vehicle didn’t even have to be moving very fast, as whiplash can, and does occur at speeds as low as 5 mph. There may or may not be initial pain brought on by the accident. However, it is not uncommon for symptoms to develop over several hours, weeks, or even months. Therein lies the deception of a whiplash injury. Whiplash And Neck Pain Your neck contains several muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and nerve endings. Whiplash can injure one, two, or all these vulnerable component parts. Although whiplash is most frequently the result of a rear-end collision, whiplash can occur in several other situations like sporting activities such as football, gymnastics and many contact sports. The neck may not be the only affected area as whiplash can often extend into other areas such as the upper back, shoulders and arms. Most likely, a whiplash victim will suffer from headaches, numbness and tingling sensations, spasms and stiffness of muscles. Chiropractic Care And Whiplash Recovery Even if you don’t have any obvious or immediate symptoms...
by Dr. David Lee, D.C. | Mar 31, 2011 | Auto Accident Injuries, Chiropractic Care, Whiplash |
Whiplash And Neck Pain | Chiropractic Care And Whiplash There you are, driving your vehicle– then CRUNCH! With the startling event of being rear-ended you make a quick personal assessment, you seem fine… or are you? Although you may feel fine, you may have received a serious injury called whiplash… a painful and very deceiving injury. Whiplash damage occurs when your neck is stretched back and forth beyond its natural range of motion. The neck is especially vulnerable to this type of injury because of its ability to move in so many directions. What’s interesting is that your vehicle didn’t even have to be moving very fast, as whiplash can, and does occur at speeds as low as 5 mph. There may or may not be initial pain brought on by the accident. However, it is not uncommon for symptoms to develop over several hours, weeks, or even months. Therein lies the deception of a whiplash injury. Whiplash and Neck Pain Your neck contains several muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and nerve endings. Whiplash can injure one, two, or all these vulnerable component parts.Although whiplash is most frequently the result of a rear-end collision, whiplash can occur in several other situations like sporting activities such as football, gymnastics and many contact sports. The neck may not be the only affected area as whiplash can often extend into other areas such as the upper back, shoulders and arms. Most likely, a whiplash victim will suffer from headaches, numbness and tingling sensations, spasms and stiffness of muscles. Recover From Whiplash With Chiropractic Care Even if you don’t have any obvious or immediate...
