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Whiplash
Whiplash neck injuries are among the fastest growing health problems today. The ever-growing congestion on our nation’s streets and highways, the speed of our freeway system, power brakes, and powerful engines all contribute to the growing frequency of the type of accident that can result in a whiplash neck injury. But whiplash injuries may also be caused by a blow to the head, face, or chin, an uncontrollable fit of coughing, or stumbling, tripping, or falling.
A whiplash neck injury occurs as a result of a sudden backward and forward “whipping” movement of the neck. This movement, which can exceed a force of several tons in a typical automobile accident, often stretches or sprains the ligaments and muscles which hold the spinal segments of your neck. Failure of the holding ligaments to support the spine allows the spinal segments to become displaced, thus altering the normal mechanical balance of the spine. This increased stress eventually results in degenerative disease of the disc with spur formation.
Almost every person involved in a moving vehicle accident suffers a whiplash injury to some degree. Symptoms are not always clear . . . some people experience no pain or discomfort for weeks following an accident. But, if neck pain occurs following an injury in which the head is snapped violently forward or backward, there is usually no question that a whiplash has been sustained. Further evidence of the problem would be restricted neck motion, headache, dizziness, nausea, or loss of balance.
Left untreated, a whiplash injury can eventually result in a number of chronic health problems and lead to a lifetime of misery. To ignore a whiplash injury is to play with fire. Injured joint ligaments heal with scar tissue in which elasticity is lost, resulting in a loosened spinal joint. The loose joint becomes unstable and may result in traumatic arthritis. Other complications include nerve root compression, neuritis of the neck, shoulder, and arm, extreme nervousness, fatigue, and even susceptibility to further disc injuries from jolts and shocks.
Following an accident or injury, only a thorough examination by a qualified, experienced physician can assure you that no damage has been done to the neck, spine, or other region or organ of the body. Experience has shown that many people who self-diagnose whiplash try to correct the problem themselves without a doctor’s supervision. Many of these people end up with permanent injuries and chronic problems that last a lifetime.
If it is determined that you have a whiplash neck injury, you are best advised to put yourself under the care and supervision of a physician who emphasizes rehabilitation.
It goes without saying that the victim of a whiplash neck injury is truly in need of highly specialized treatment and care. Doctors of Chiropractic, with their greater knowledge of the spine and its proper alignment, have come to be recognized as experts in caring for persons involved in automobile accidents or other injuries involving whiplash. They are also accepted as expert witnesses in legal judgments, and provide complete, scientifically substantiated reports which are appreciated by attorneys and insurance companies.
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