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What is Whiplash?
Whiplash is a term used to describe an injury to the neck and/or supporting structures from a motor vehicle trauma, usually due to a rear-end collision. The injury occurs when the head and neck are violently thrust backward and forward. Cervical acceleration deceleration (CAD) is the appropriate terminology used to describe the mechanism of injury. This can occur with either high speed or low speed rear impact crashes. The thinking that a low speed rear impact crash cannot cause injury if there is no property damage to the vehicle is a myth.
Common Whiplash Symptoms
The following are the symptoms most commonly seen after a whiplash injury. (They are listed in order of prevalence):
- Neck pain
- Headache
- Pain between the shoulder blades
- Back pain
- Numbness or tingling
- Pain or weakness in the arms or hands
- Difficulty concentrating
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- Facial pain and jaw-related symptoms
- Hearing disturbances
- Vertigo (disturbances in movement perception)
- Vision disturbances
- Trouble swallowing or hoarseness
The symptoms listed above may be caused due to injury to soft tissue structures, such as discs, ligaments, and nerves. The disc may tear, become herniated, or bulge and ligaments may tear with whiplash injuries. Nerves may become stretched, pinched or bruised. Subluxation (partial dislocation) of the vertebrae may occur as well. In severe cases, vertebrae may even fracture.
Treatment for Whiplash
As long as there are no fractures or spinal instability, chiropractic treatment for whiplash injury should begin not too long after the initial date of injury. This is because your body begins to repair and remodel the injured structures within two to three days, at the end of the acute inflammatory phase. If there are any vertebrae that have been misaligned due to the whiplash injury, it is extremely important to correct the affected structures so that they do not heal with scar tissue in an improper position. An affected area of the spine that is not treated properly may lead to problems in the future, such as decreased range of motion, degenerative arthritis, disc degeneration, nerve impingement, and pain. With the appropriate treatment and good patient education, future complications can be avoided.
Treatment at our office would start with a complete history and evaluation. At that time it would be decided if x-rays were needed. Once the problem is identified by the doctor, he will thoroughly discuss your specific case and recommend a treatment plan.
If you or a friend have recently been in an accident, it is important to be evaluated as soon as possible to determine if there is soft tissue damage or a nerve injury that the hospital may have overlooked.