Active Range Of Motion
Begin range of motion exercises directly after acute injury to help decrease pain levels and improve function. Moving as much as you can tolerate is important because it wonât cause damage to your neck if you have whiplash grade I or II and it will aid in recovery. Fear of movement due to pain during acute phase of injury can cause delayed recovery.
Some Tips:
- Sit upright in a chair
- Slowly move your head to look up at the ceiling as far is as comfortable.
- Move your head down to look at your toes as if you were trying to touch your chin to your chest.
- Bring your head to neutral, and now rotate the head to look left & right
- Do these up to a tolerable range and never push into pain.
- Repeat 10x
- Repeat 10x
The Function Of The Neck
A normally functioning neck is able to move smoothly in various directions. It can extend upwards when necessary, and it can contract when undergoing pressure. The neck can bend forward towards the chest and also bend backwards towards the upper back. It can bend to the side, towards the right as well as the left shoulder. The neck can also rotate from side to side. It can even roll, to some extent.
The neck is not allowed to rotate or move past certain points, due to structural processes that are in place to prevent undue movement. These constraints prevent the neck from rolling around too loosely. The neck is protecting vital structures and functions of the body, so it serves a variety of purposes.
The cervical spine serves several major functions.
- It houses and protects the spinal cord.
- It supports the weight of the head, which weighs 10 to 13 pounds.
- It enhances the flexibility of the head and neck, allowing the head to rotate, roll forward and backwards, and bend from side to side.
Quick Fact: Your neck can move your head to allow 90 degrees of forward movement, 90 degrees of backward motion, and 180 degrees of sideward motion!
Dont Live With Your Back And Neck Injuries
Diagnosing neck and back injuries from a car accident sooner rather than later is the key to faster rehabilitation. Your doctor can customize a treatment plan, assist you with pain management, and get you on the path to rehabilitation.
The Sterling Medical Group team is here for one reasonto assist you with physically recovering from your accident.
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Can Whiplash Cause Neurological Problems
One of the most common injuries associated with a car accident, whiplash is often brushed off as something that heals easily and is not a lasting problem. While this is true in some cases, the damage done to your body during a car accident, especially during the motion involved in whiplash, can have effects beyond what you initially realize. Whiplash occurs when the force of an accident causes your head to move backward and forward very fast, straining and even tearing the tissues in your neck. But in a severe enough case, or one not met with appropriate whiplash treatment, the nerves can become damaged as well and lead to lasting neurological issues.
Chronic Pain And Lingering Side Effects Of Whiplash
When the symptoms of whiplash aren’t addressed, they can often snowball into larger issues that impact everyday life. Those suffering from pre-existing health conditions such as arthritis are likely to experience greater severity of injury and greater pain. Overall, more than 60 percent of people who have whiplash injuries will require long-term medical follow-up.
Depending on the severity of the injury, whiplash symptoms can last anywhere from days, weeks, months, or years. Damage to the ligaments, discs, and neck joints can cause radiating pain to other parts of the body, while the nerve roots that are stretched during the accident can become inflamed and increase pain signals throughout the body.
Even years after an accident, certain expected side effects can arise:
- Stiffness in the shoulders and arms
- Concentration and memory problems
- Numbness or weakness in the arms or legs
- Limited mobility in the upper back and chest
- Severe headaches, especially at the base of the skull
However, lesser-known and unexpected side effects can result from whiplash trauma:
- Vertigo
- Depression or anxiety
- Insomnia, and other issues while sleeping
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Upper Cervical Chiropractic And Whiplash
While ice and heat therapy and relaxation techniques can ease your neck pain temporarily, they are just the beginning of the healing process. Full recovery may just be as complex as the injury. It may need more than doing these steps. If you are looking for a lasting solution to your neck pain and whiplash, upper cervical chiropractic can be the right form of care for you. Therefore, you should try it.
Here is a myth that needs to die: You are fine as long as you do not feel pain. The truth is whiplash symptoms can be mild at first, and you may not be aware you have the neck injury. As mentioned earlier, the consequences of whiplash may not show up until several years later. Therefore, you should have a professional examine your upper neck vertebrae for a misalignment.
It only takes a misalignment as little as ¼ of a millimeter to cause stress on the brainstem. This can lead to disrupted communication between the brain and the body. Therefore, if the brain cannot communicate with the body accurately, that can cause neck pain and all sorts of health issues. Having said that, it is crucial to seek out the care of an upper cervical chiropractor who can get to the bottom of your whiplash.
Upper cervical doctors employ gentle adjustments to correct misalignments in the upper neck. Correction of the root cause will return the normal body-brain communication and functions, eventually getting rid of neck pain and other symptoms of whiplash.
to schedule a consultation today.
Whiplash And Neck Pain
If you have had whiplash, chances are that youre familiar with the neck soreness that comes afterwards. Its surprising to people that whiplash can take a few days to actually set in after the incident. Signs that youve had whiplash after an incident include:
- Neck soreness
- Stiffness in the neck and/or shoulders
Are you familiar with these symptoms?
If you answered yes to the above, chances are that youve had whiplash. Most of the pain that comes from whiplash subsides with time. Even though the pain subsides, you may be left with some of these symptoms unless the right steps are taken to correct it. With whiplash its estimated that 50% of people will continue to have some form of neck discomfort, headaches, or dizziness. The risk of this can be minimized with the right treatment approach.
The right treatment approach will help you to:
- Address dizziness
- And avoid the #1 mistake doctors make when treating whiplash
How can whiplash cause dizziness?
You can read more about neck painhere and more about the main causes of dizzinesshere.
https://www.welcomebackclinic.com/blog/WhiplashNeck-Injury.htm
How can whiplash cause headaches?
What can be done about it?
How Can Working With An Expert At DPT Help Fix Your Whiplash?
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Cervical Spine Ct Scanning
- CT scan is indicated immediately if:
- The patient had a Glasgow Coma Scale < 13 on initial assessment.
- The patient has been intubated, or is being scanned for multi-region trauma.
- A definitive diagnosis of cervical spine injury is needed urgently for a patient .
CT is superior to plain radiography, with a reported sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 99%.
Fast Facts On Whiplash
These less common signs and symptoms are also possible:
- irritability
- memory loss
- poor concentration
Headaches, dizziness, problems swallowing, and vision problems should not last long. If they do, tell your doctor.
A whiplash injury may occur if the head is moved violently away from the body because of a sudden and powerful jerk or jolt.
The neck moves beyond its normal range of movement, resulting in overstretched ligaments, muscles, and tendons.
The injury is often made worse because the muscles, in order to compensate for the sudden movement, pull the head back into position too hard, causing another overstretching in the opposite direction.
The jolt can come from behind, in front, or from the side. Even a slow-speed collision can cause whiplash.
The doctor will examine the patient and ask them about any recent accidents, sporting events, falls, or blows to the head.
The following imaging scans may be ordered, especially if a spinal injury is suspected:
X-ray this can rule out broken bones or other conditions, such as a spinal fracture, arthritis, or dislocations.
CT scan many X-ray images are taken from different angles and a more detailed picture of the bone and soft tissues can be seen on a monitor.
MRI scan radio waves and a strong magnetic field gradually produce a detailed picture of the affected area. The doctor will be able to detect soft tissue injuries.
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Kyphoplasty As A Surgical Treatment For A Spine Injury
Another procedure common to thoracic spine surgery is kyphoplasty. Kyphoplasty is a surgical procedure to treat a compression fracture of the vertebrae .
this procedure can restore the vertebras height and reduce the pain in the spine following a car accident. This is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure where a balloon inflates to restore the proper height of the vertebrae. The doctor then injects bone cement to keep the vertebrae in place.
How Long Does It Take To Recover From Whiplash
The evidence says that most symptoms of whiplash have gone by 6-12 months after injury but Physiotherapy early on can speed up the recovery time and ensure the recovery is complete and has a low risk of re-occurring symptoms in the future
Abbey Physiotherapy can help reduce the initial pain and restore confidence and ability to move. Reassurance about the level of injury and recovery potential can also be very therapeutic. At Abbey Physiotherapy we receive referrals from insurance companies for RTA related whiplash injuries and also accept self-referred patients. below to arrange for your first session.
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Two Lower Back Areas Susceptible To Whiplash Injury
After being injured in a wreck, most accident victims immediately check to see if they have whiplash symptoms or neck pain. But really the lower back can be particularly sensitive to a whiplash injury because the force of the accident mixed with the unnatural movement in the lower back creates enough uneasiness to injure the spine. There are two areas of the spine that become especially vulnerable to whiplash injuries.
Any form of back pain after car accident should be treated as soon as it is recognized, even if delayed. Set up a medical evaluation immediately or get to an emergency room to be assessed by a professional. This care will reduce the chance of complications and provide the proper documentation needed to make a case for the incident and injury.
Contact Dolman Law Group For Help With Your Car Accident Claim
Back, neck, and spinal cord injury cases are unique and require the retention of a team of experts. These experts can illustrate how the injuries will impact the victims quality of life, the costs of future medical bills, and any necessary home alterations.
These types of injury cases are, by nature, very expensive, and the law firm must also have the necessary financial resources to handle the case properly. It is vital that the car accident lawyer you hire is well versed in handling such cases and has the resources necessary to help you pursue compensation.
At Dolman Law Group, our car accident attorneys have over 100 years of combined experience in assisting victims with neck and back injuries following a car accident. We work tirelessly for our auto accident victims to ensure they receive the proper medical attention for their injuries, as well as the proper recovery to offset the damages caused by a negligent party. Our personal injury lawyers have vast experience handling back, head, and neck injuries that proves invaluable to clients when countering the tactics and defenses employed by the insurance companies.
Contact us today for a free consultation to get a feel for how our experienced car accident lawyers can help you pursue compensation. Call us at or leave us a message on our online contact page.
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When It Comes To Whiplash Rest Equals Rust
You may not want to move around after a whiplash injury for fear of making the pain worse. But resting for more than a few days can cause the muscles in your neck, shoulders and back to get stiff and weak and actually prolong the pain.
To keep your neck healthy and flexible, Traynelis recommends returning to normal activity as soon as your doctor says its OK. Your doctor may also prescribe physical therapy to help alleviate symptoms and recondition the muscles.
Even if you have to ease into activity slowly, he says, dont let pain, or fear of pain, keep you from getting on with your life.
Causes Of Whiplash Back Pain
The head is a heavy structure which acts as a weight during a whiplash event. The neck is the weakest and thinnest area of the spine, yet it must still support the considerable burden of the head. Normally, with the range of cervical motion precisely controlled by the muscles, ligaments and bones of the neck, there is no problem supporting the head. However, when force and acceleration is applied to the head during a traumatic event, the neck can stretch well beyond its normal safe and comfortable limits, creating whiplash neck pain.
Damage to the cervical region is expected, but the injury can radiate into the upper back and shoulder region if the force is particularly great. Radiating pain in the thoracic spine is the most common expression of whiplash in the back. However, some patients will have similar expressions in the middle or even lower back regions, as well or instead. Symptomatic activity consisting of pain in between the shoulders is also widely reported by affected patients.
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Chiropractic Care To Treat A Facet Joint Injury
Another option is to seek out a qualified chiropractor for help. Be sure they are qualified by researching the therapist before making an appointment. Also, be sure to give detailed information about what happened, how it happened, and where the pain occurs.
Exercise can also improve spasms and stiffness. However, you must speak to a medical professional first. By exercising without knowing the extent of your injury, you may actually worsen the pain.
How Are The Nerves Coming Out Of The Brain Related To Whiplash
Additionally, the nerves that exit the brain can be stretched, sheared, or even severed depending on the degree of whiplash. Some of these symptoms may also be related to injuries to the muscles and joints in the neck which provide vital information for our sense of balance and the balance of the brain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55u5Ivx31og
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Neck Pain Due To Whiplash Isnt Surprising
One of the most frequently asked questions about whiplash is whether it brings on neck pain. Does whiplash cause neck pain? The answer is pretty obviousYES, it can cause neck pain. It shouldnt come as a surprise. After all, whiplash is a neck injury that stems from a forceful, rapid back-and-forth jerking of the neck.
How Insurance Adjusters Can Affect A Whiplash Injury Claim
Whiplash accident cases are some of the most difficult to pursue. Insurance adjusters and their experts typically label whiplash as a simple sprain or strain injury. However, non-surgical whiplash is often worse than your typical disc injury that requires surgery.
Insurance carriers go into these cases with the goal of minimizing the value of each claim. And many lawyers fail to spend the money necessary to hire the best experts and aggressively pursue whiplash claims for their clients.
As a Florida whiplash injury law firm, Dolman Law Group has handled thousands of whiplash claims over the past decade. We take these cases very seriously and empathize with how these injuries impact our clients. We aggressively pursue every last case, which sets us apart from the settlement mills that concern themselves more with signing up a high volume of clients than with litigating those cases to a satisfying conclusion that gets maximum compensation for their clients.
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Spinal Surgery For A Spinal Disc Injury That Causes Back And Neck Pain
Surgery is often unnecessary, but if youre in debilitating pain for three months or more, you may need to consider it as an option. One type of minimally invasive spine surgery is intradiscal electrothermal therapy . This surgery cauterizes the fibers around the tear, which helps fuse and kill off painful nerve endings.
With the nerve endings dead, you wont be able to feel the discogenic pain anymore. The most common surgery for discogenic pain is spinal fusion. Be sure to research all your options and speak to your health care providers before choosing the best course of action for you.
