Whiplash Damage

Of the millions of peopple who visit doctors of chiropractic each year, a large number have had whiplash injuries. Whiplash injuries occur when a person's spine, usually their neck, was hurt by being unexpectedly or suddenly thrown very quickly in one direction and then in the opposite direction. You might say the head is "whipped around" on the neck. Whiplash is one of the most common consequences of auto accidents; it is estimated that 15%-30% of car occupants will suffer neck pain. In almost all whiplash-type injuries the spine is thrown first in one direction and then is pulled in the opposite direction because the muscles react to the initial injury by pulling or rebounding in the opposite direction. The rebound can and often does cause injury to your soft issues-muscles, ligaments, tendons and other tissues. Occasionally a whiplash injury can result from side-to-side motion of the neck, also called left and right lateral hyperflexion. Usually the head is turned to the right or left a little when an accident occurs and this can complicate the effects of the injury. Whiplash can be mild to severe and can range from rapid healing to slow healing to long-term chronic pain and impairment. It can cause serious problems because it can cause long term damage. Studies show that a large percentage of whiplash sufferers, from 50% to as much as 88%, may continue to suffer pain and some amount of disablilty for years after the accident

Spinal Cord Damage

Depending on the severity of the accident, whiplash damage can range from barely noticeable stiffness to death. A worst case scenario occurs in a small minority of cases where there is actual bone fracture and spinal cord damage causing paralysis or death.

Whiplash Symptoms

Whiplash symptoms may start as neck soreness or stiffness, perhaps accompanied by a headache immediately or within a few hours of the accident. Along with these symptoms there may be pain an/or numbness, tingling or a pins and needles feeling between the shoulder blades, arm and hand. Some people may experience ear ringing, dizziness or even hearing loss. Sometimes the eyes can be affected and there may be pain behind the eyeballs, blurred vision, sensitivity to light or other visual symptoms. Occasionally, there may be tearing or running of the nose.

Post Concussion Syndrome

A conscussion may accompany a whiplash. It occurs from a violent shaking of the head where the brain is thrown around against the skull-similar to scrambling an egg without damaging the shell. Concussioin symptoms may include headache, restlessness, irritability, insomnia, moodiness, depression and emotional "jitters" that may last for hours or days after the accident. This grouping of symptoms is now being called Post Concussion Syndrome (PCS).

Medical Care

An individual who has been in an accident should first make sure that there is no life-threatening emergency-broken bones, bleeding or hemorrhage, internal organ damage, serious confusions or abrasions, shock and other damage. This is the specialty of emergency medicine, which does its best work when dealing with trauma or accidental injury. After the patient is out of immediate danger, and when it is safe to do so, their spine desperately needs to be checked by a doctor of chiropractic for life threatening spinal damage, called the vertebral subluxation complex. That is essential because many whiplash sufferers live in pain for years after the injury, forced to survive on painkillers, muscle relaxants and various therapies including surgery because the spinal damage a doctor of chiropractic can correct has not been eliminated. In many cases a visit to the chiropractor may give great relief safely, quickly and without drugs or surgery.

Chiropractic Care

Not only whiplash but any kind of accident may cause the vertebral subluxation complex where the vertebrae are out of proper alignment and "impinging" or irritating spinal nerves. Painkillers, muscle relaxers, sedatives or physical therapy cannot re-align the vertebrae and relieve the nervous system from pressure. What is needed is a spinal adjustment to re-align the spinal column.

Old Whiplash?

Anyone who has ever had a whiplash injury, no matter how long ago, should see a chiropractor. The MD's may have sent them home after x-rays and MRI or CT scans and found nothing broken or ruptured, yet the spine may still be structurally unsound. Without structural integrity the spine will not heal properly and may develop problems years later. Arthritis and disc problems may develop years after the accident(and the legal settlements) because a chiropractor was not consulted.

Verterbral Subluxation Complex (VSC)

A whiplash injury is a dramatic example of subluxations produced by sudden accident or trauma. Other subluxations may be caused by poor posture, repeated stressful movements, poor sleeping positions, bad diet, fatigue, constant emotional stress or even extensive dental work. If you've ever been involved in a whiplash-type accident, see your doctor of chiropractic as soon as possible to make sure you heal as completely as possible.