Whiplash Injury -- Frequently Asked Questions Whiplash is injury to the neck that most often occurs during a rear-end auto collisions. The article discusses frequently asked questions about whiplash injury.
A relatively common condition, whiplash injury is a type of neck pain or strain which is usually the result of the sudden movement of the head back and forth in a stationary position. In rear-end collisions, drivers face a high risk of this neck injury. It is caused by overstretching of soft tissues of the neck due to forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement, like the cracking of a whip. Whiplash can damage the intervertebral joints (located between vertebrae), discs, and ligaments, cervical muscles, and nerve roots. Early range of motion and exercises lead to a more rapid recovery than prolonged immobilization or use of a cervical collar.
Here are the answers to frequently asked questions about whiplash injury -
Q: What causes Whiplash? A: Whiplash is generally caused by a sudden backward and/or forward jerking motion of the head, often as a result of a road traffic accident. The vigorous movement of the head can injure bones in the spine, disks between the bones, ligaments, muscles, nerves and other tissues of the neck. Apart from auto accidents, whiplash injury may also result from physical abuse or assault, blows to the head with a
heavy object, amusement park rides, horse-riding accidents, falling off a bicycle, contact sports like football tackles, and other sports-related collisions.
Q: What are the typical symptoms? A: Neck pain or upper back pain is one of the primary symptoms associated with this condition. In most cases, symptoms will develop within 24 hours of injury. Each person can have different symptoms. •
Worsening of pain with neck movement
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Tingling or numbness in the arms
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Tenderness or pain in the shoulder, upper back or arms
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Stiffness and loss of range of motion in the neck
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Headaches, most often starting at the base of the skull
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Fatigue and dizziness
Some people also experience symptoms like – •
Sleep disturbances
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Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
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Memory problems
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Irritability
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Difficulty concentrating
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Depression
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Blurred vision
Q: What are the complications and risk factors of whiplash? A: Most people with whiplash feel better within a few weeks after undergoing treatment. However, some people continue to have pain for several months or years even after the injury has occurred. It is quite difficult to predict how each person with this neck injury may recover. The possibility of suffering chronic pain increases, if your symptoms were intense and started rapidly. Potential risk factors associated with this condition include – old age, existing low back pain or neck pain and having whiplash before.
Q: How is whiplash injury diagnosed? A: Diagnosis of this condition initially starts with the pain management physician asking questions about the injury, type of symptoms and frequency and severity of symptoms. This will be followed by a physical examination wherein the physician will ask you to move your head, neck and arms and perform simple tasks. These movements will help them to analyze the range of motion and tenderness in your neck. Diagnostic imaging tests such as – X-rays, CT scan or MRI scan may be done to identify soft tissue injuries.
Q: What are the treatment options for whiplash injury? A:
Mild cases of whiplash injury are normally treated at home using medications, a cervical collar
(brace), ice or heat application, and other simple remedies. Leading multispecialty healthcare and pain management centers in Brooklyn, NYC offer a wide range of nonsurgical treatment modalities to address severe symptoms of this musculoskeletal condition. These modalities include – physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, over-the-counter pain relievers (such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) and ibuprofen), Ice or Heat application, and cervical epidural injections.
Q: Is it possible to prevent whiplash injury? A: Most cases of whiplash occur due to rear-end car collisions. Whiplash protection steps include driving vehicles with air bags, appropriate adjustment of the car seat headrest (to keep the neck from snapping backwards), and wearing a seat belt. In addition, people engaged in contact sports need to use proper equipment like padding and also apply the right techniques to avoid neck injury.
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