Whiplash is a significant connective tissue injury to the neck due to the impacting powerful forces of motor vehicle collision. It often results in a "compressive ramping" effect that can cause disc injuries in the form of herniation, protrusion, annular tears, subligamentous extrusion and nerve root damage in addition to tearing of muscles, tendons, and ligaments from the excessive "whipping" effect of a motor vehicle collision.
The pain of a Whiplash Injury is usually described as a "sharp or dull painful stiffness" in the neck with associated pain that can radiate up into the back of the head and/or TMJ's (Temporomandibular Joints or Jaw Joints) and also down into the shoulders, arms and hands when it is more severe. The radiating pain into the upper extremities can be accompanied by numbness, tingling and weakness. This is usually an indication of direct nerve root injury from the accident trauma, and/or the subsequent compression damage to the nerves from the damaged connective tissues that were also injured from the trauma of the accident, ie. vertebral disc herniations, muscular, ligamentous and joint capsular damage.
Whiplash pain can be much different from other types of injuries. When a car accident is severe, the pain will come on right away. If the injury produces a mild or moderate sprain, sometimes it takes a few days or even weeks for the pain and inflammation to reach its maximum. Sometimes muscular and/or joint stiffness is the prominent symptom and the patient notices this in the first few weeks after the accident. The delay in pain is often seen in low speed collisions where typically there is very less damage to the vehicles.
There are a lot of factors that determine the extent of injury following a low speed whiplash. One of these is the neck posture prior to impact. Was the head turned? This can occur if the patient was looking at the rear view mirror during the collision. Typically, low speed collisions can occur in parking lots. Studies have proven that injuries can occur at these low speeds, even with minimal damage to the vehicle. These types of cases can be harder to prove due to the Auto Insurance Industry's efforts to minimize them by spending 10's of Millions of Dollars to defeat the "Low Impact, Soft Tissue Injury" phenomenon over the past several decades. However, additional scientific evidence has now proven that injuries can and do occur at low speeds. Especially when the patient's head was turned to view other traffic or see if a parking space was open, this can make a simple trauma result in a significant injury.
Besides the position of the patient prior to the collision, the speed and amount of vehicle damage are typically good criteria for the severity of the trauma. However, it may not be in some cases because of crumple zones. Cars are built with crumple zones. These areas are crushed during the collision and absorb some of the energy of impact, instead of translating all of the collision impact energy into the occupants of the vehicle. In some low speed collisions, there is less crumple, and therefore less damage to the vehicle, resulting in more of the force being transmitted to the occupants. This is one reason why vehicle damage won't always equate with the spinal damage or other bodily injury.
Another factor in whiplash is determined by the positioning of the head-restraint. A proper head-rest should be close to the back of the head and its high point slightly above the top of the head. The reason for the high position is that in a rear-end collision, the patient who is being hit will rise slightly with impact. If the head- rest is too low, then the neck will bend around it like a fulcrum causing even more injury to the muscles, ligaments, discs, nerves and spinal cord. The same thing happens if the seat is reclined too far back and the head whips backwards before hitting the head-rest. This scenario will often cause more severe headaches due to more severe and direct trauma to the brain.
Because symptoms can come on slowly and minor vehicle damage is not a good indicator of injury, a thorough examination is required following a car accident. It is extremely important to be checked by a competent health care provider after any motor vehicle collision. However, not all doctors are trained to treat these types of injuries. It's important to find someone who is. The San Diego Auto Injury Specialists include physicians and staff who are trained and certified in the diagnosis, treatment and care of whiplash injuries.
Proper treatment for Whiplash consists of first getting a thorough physical examination that focuses on the neuromusculoskeletal systems, from a physician that is properly trained in auto collision injury management. If needed, x-rays, MRI or CT scans can be ordered to further reveal the degree of injuries present. Medical care should initially consist of evidence based physical medicine in the form of passive modalities like interferential muscle/nerve stimulation, ultrasound, cryotherapy, specific forms of vibrational therapies, manual manipulation (from a Chiropractic Specialist) and therapeutic cold laser therapy, to name a few. Gradually, active therapeutic care in the form of specific exercise/rehab therapy should be implemented, as tolerated, to help the body heal and restore neuromuscular function. All treatment should be managed and overseen by competent and qualified, properly trained and experienced and licensed medical professionals, as found with the San Diego Auto Injury Specialists.
If you or someone you know is suffering from whiplash pain due to a recent car accident, please do them a favor and have them call our offices at 858-752-3996 to make sure they are receiving the right type of treatment with the right specialists. If they are not, we can help them get the right types of examination (MRI, Orthopedic, Neurologic) for the right diagnosis and treatment for their injuries. This will greatly improve the outcome of their condition medically and financially. We may be able to help relieve their pain now, improve their quality of life and functional capacity, as well as help prevent further pain and disability in the future.
San Diego Auto Injury Specialists
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