Neck Pain & Whiplash Car Accident Injury

In Meridian, Idaho, whiplash, neck pain, closed head injuries causing headaches, and soft tissue injuries are the top three most common injuries sustained in auto accidents.

Car accidents, no matter how small, can inflict serious harm. The vast majority of medical literature and informational articles on websites like Living Well, WebMD, and a plethora of medical healthcare websites lead you to believe a significant proportion of car crash injury victims will make full recoveries, and a small number may endure long-term effects. We opine that statement is mere unabashed medical dogma.

We opine that these sites state that decreased pain and symptoms more than likely indicate a full or substantial recovery when that is the farthest concept from the truth. We believe that the lack of pain does not dictate a state of wellness or definitely does not indicate full repair and rehabilitation. A decrease in pain is just your first step to recovery from traumatically induced neck injury pain and dysfunction.

Here are some crucial tips on how to get medical and chiropractic treatment following a car accident, and let’s examine these ailments in detail.

Whiplash Is Not A Diagnosis

“Whiplash” is not a recognized medical term. It does not officially describe an injury to the neck’s soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and discs). What typically happens is that injuries occur to various parts of the neck, such as the facet joints, the disks in the neck, and the nerve roots that run from the spinal cord into the vertebrae in your neck.

Whiplash results from a vehicle’s abrupt slowing down or stopping suddenly during an accident. Because of this sudden slowdown, your head will “Whip” back and forth.  Officially known as extension-flexion injury or CAD injury.

After A Car Accident Expect Multiple Symptoms

Whiplash typically manifests with a wide array of symptoms; however, it can encompass a wide range of injuries. Typical signs of whiplash include pain or stiffness in the neck and upper back, pain or stiffness in the shoulders, headache, dizziness, and occasionally a burning sensation in the neck, shoulders, or arms. Experiencing severe whiplash in a car accident can undoubtedly lead to memory issues, concentration problems, trouble sleeping, fatigue, and occasionally depression.

Whiplash symptoms typically appear immediately after an accident. Our chiropractic doctors strongly advise patients who have been in a car accident to take it easy for a while, since the pain usually worsens with time. The worst days tend to occur four or five days after the accident. It is common for individuals who have been in a car accident to feel OK right after the incident and not experience whiplash symptoms for up to four days, but most people will experience neck pain after getting out of the car. Actually, whiplash injuries take a long time to heal, and even after you’re no longer in pain, they still mend in a very uneven fashion. Just because you’re not experiencing as much pain doesn’t imply you don’t have whiplash.

If you are a victim of a vehicle accident and experience neck pain, get chiropractic treatment as soon as possible. If the pain is severe, visit a doctor or go to the hospital immediately.

Headache

After a car accident, many people will experience mild headaches, even if they don’t hit anything. This is practical. It was never meant for your head and neck to comfortably withstand a sudden drop from 20 to 30 or even 5 MPH to zero. Some people attain quick relief from car accident injuries, but others don’t. You should definitely take a headache that persists more than a day or two after a car accident seriously and immediately visit a chiropractor. It is preferable to determine if it is a sign of a more serious injury as you may have suffered a closed head injury.

Soft Tissue Injury – Sprains, Strains, Bumps, And Bruises, Oh My!

The soft tissues encompass the muscles, ligaments, tendons, discs, and nerves that comprise the body. The tendon connects muscles to bones, and ligaments bind bones together. Bruises, abnormal scratches, or tears in soft tissue are known as soft tissue injuries. Medical professionals refer to a bruise as a contusion. According to medical terminology, you tear a muscle or tendon, but you tear a ligament or a joint.

Soft tissue injuries can cause various symptoms, such as muscle soreness and discomfort, nerve pain, tingling or numbness, joint pain, decreased or painful range of motion, and stiffness in the affected area of the body. These symptoms can really manifest within a few days, weeks, or even months following the injury.

The healing of soft tissues is much more complex than the healing of bone tissue. Generally speaking, your soft tissues, i.e., your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage, follow four phases of repair. Blood flow to these tissues varies immensely; whereas muscle has a great blood supply, your tendon, ligament, and cartilage tissue have much less blood flow and do not heal very quickly, which is directly related to decreased blood flow to the specific tissue.

The Four Phases of Soft Tissue Healing

Bleeding– Your body’s way of protecting the area of insult.

Inflammation– Your body releases a cascade of anti-inflammatory substances that play an essential role in paving the way for tissue regeneration.

Proliferation– This is the raw materials stage bringing in your building blocks.

Remodeling—This phase is amazing. Imagine a pile of puzzle pieces lying around and on each other delivered by the proliferation phase. Everything is in disarray. With time, the puzzle pieces fit together, and your soft tissues are “remodeled.”

Through these stages, the injured tissue will be destroyed, replaced by living tissue in the body, and returned to its soft tissue status. Know this: in the remodeling phase, the puzzle pieces actually get put into place with movement and stretching. This is just one of many physical modalities of healing through specific chiropractic techniques.

Imagine a strained or twisted ankle. Most individuals who have a badly injured ankle have informed me that it hurts more and takes longer to heal than a broken bone. “It is my weak ankle” is a common phrase used by those who have experienced a severely sprained ankle and were unable to rehabilitate it. In actuality, the ankle has suffered both tendinous and ligamentous damage.

NOTE: The tendons and ligaments in your ankle are the same soft tissues as the tendons and ligaments in your neck. Now imagine that badly injured ankle has nerves running between the bones….sort of like your neck!!!

The American Medical Association Guides | Evaluation of Permanent Impairment clearly states that chiropractic physicians are qualified to perform impairment evaluations. Thank you very much.

After a car accident, it is important to seek medical attention immediately to determine what type of soft tissues have been damaged and how badly they have been damaged.

Surprisingly, the AMA clearly states that the way to measure spinal ligament damage is to measure the integrity of the spinal ligaments through weight-bearing stress X-rays, and then specific measurements are performed in what is called Computerized Radiological Mensuration Analysis. How do I know this? They devoted a whole chapter to spinal ligament damage due to traumatic injury in the book AMA Guides | Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. This evaluates if you have suffered AMOSI, which stands for Alteration Motion of Segmental Integrity. In layman’s terms, your vertebrae are no longer moving as they were intended to.

Oh yeah, did I mention that on page 27 of the AMA Guides | Evaluation of Permanent Impairment, the AMA clearly states that chiropractic physicians are qualified to evaluate spinal Ligament injury?

Other Soft Tissue Injuries From Car Crashes

Neck Sprain

A neck sprain occurs when the neck’s ligaments are stretched or torn due to sudden movement or trauma. This painful condition is often compared to a sprained ankle but involves the neck’s structures. Symptoms vary from mild discomfort to severe pain, including stiffness, muscle spasms, headaches, dizziness, and difficulty swallowing. Treatment typically involves patient education about the injury and lifestyle adjustments, including rest and activity balance, sleep position, and work ergonomics. Pain and inflammation management might involve medication or a soft cervical collar for support. Chiropractic management and treatment are essential for improving neck strength, flexibility, and functionality.

Neck Strain

Neck strains occur when the neck’s muscles and tendons are stretched or torn. These injuries often result from a sudden force or an abrupt change in head position, common during high-speed activities or car accidents. Symptoms include pain that worsens with movement, muscle spasms, and reduced range of motion. The symptoms may not be immediately apparent, developing over time and interfering with daily activities. Prompt diagnosis is crucial for effective treatment and speedy recovery, often involving rest, pain management, and physical therapy.

Cervical Radiculopathy

Cervical radiculopathy occurs when a nerve root in the neck becomes inflamed or damaged, leading to symptoms like radiant neck and arm pain, tingling, and numbness. This condition arises from various causes, including physical trauma or age-related wear and tear of the cervical spine. Understanding the root causes and symptoms helps healthcare professionals develop appropriate treatment plans. Treatment may involve pain management, physical therapy, and, in severe cases, surgery.

Herniated Disc

A herniated disc involves an issue with one of the discs between the vertebrae. The condition occurs when the disc’s softer, jelly-like substance slips through a rupture in its tougher exterior. Symptoms vary widely; some individuals feel little pain, while others experience intense discomfort, often such as arm or leg pain. The pain worsens after standing, sitting, or specific movements. Treatment varies but may include pain management, physical therapy, or surgery. Immediate medical attention is vital for optimal recovery.

Neck Pain- Hard Tissue Injury 

Neck Fracture

Neck fractures are severe injuries often resulting from high-impact trauma, such as car accidents or falls. Immediate symptoms can range from severe pain to paralysis, depending on the fracture’s location and severity. Diagnosis usually involves imaging techniques like X-rays or CT scans, observation, and stabilization to protect the neck from further damage. Prompt medical care is crucial to prevent irreversible neck damage or life-threatening consequences. Treatment varies based on the fracture’s location, displacement, and the patient’s health. Non-surgical treatments involve a neck brace or halo vest, while severe cases may require surgery to realign and stabilize the bones.

I cannot express this adequately, following a car collision, the phrase “Maybe it will go away on its own” is the riskiest one to utter. You should seek chiropractic care immediately if you experience any injury, pain, or other symptoms after a car accident. Please visit the emergency room if the pain you experience immediately following the injury is severe. Keep in mind that the emergency room doctor only treats life-threatening injuries and that the medical care you receive there or at a “Doc in a Box clinic” is not meant to address the long-term effects of your injuries sustained in your vehicle accident.

It is a definitive fact that if you are involved in a car accident and do not seek chiropractic or medical attention soon after the accident, be aware that insurance companies will absolutely believe that you were not truly injured or that you were not hurt as severely as you claim to have been.

One last thought: I sincerely hope this article convinces you to schedule an appointment with our office or another chiropractor’s office as soon as possible.

Why Choose Meridian Car Accident Chiropractic-Simple

When you call on my car accident injury team right here in Meridian, you will be examined for the hidden injuries we discussed above, and we will perform all three forms of radiological diagnostics.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and a video is worth a million words. This is exactly what we believe about Digital Motion X-ray.