Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Car Accidents and Whiplash Injuries: What to do?


How many of you have ever been in a motor vehicle accident? During your lifetime, there is a strong likelihood that it will happen to you or someone you know. Often times, you may take a painkiller or two, maybe some therapy, and once feeling better, may never think of it again. But what if symptoms linger? Or worse yet, if you don’t have symptoms, can an accident come back to haunt you? And what to do should you be involved in an accident?
Statistics show that one out of every four people will be in a car accident during their lifetime, and the chances of dying in an accident are approximately one out of every 140 people. It is estimated by Whiplash Specialist Dr. Arthur Croft, that as many as 3 million whiplash injuries occur every year in the United States, and that one out of every three people will suffer from whiplash injury. Whiplash injury is a sudden strain or trauma affecting the bones, discs, muscles, ligaments, nerves, and tendons of the neck. Various symptoms can occur, including but not limited to neck and back pain, nausea, numbness, weakness, fatigue, dizziness, vertigo, inflammation, hearing impairment, headaches, visual disturbances, fracture, paralysis, and even death. Sometimes, there are no symptoms present at all, only to show themselves days, weeks, or even years down the road. The top three causes of whiplash injury are motor vehicle collisions, contact sports, and amusement park rides.
Barring a fracture, your Chiropractor will do an examination including a detailed history, orthopedic and neurological tests, range of motion, posture and palpation check, and x-rays to see the extent of damage or change in the spine. On X-ray, the neck should be perfectly straight. Your chiropractor will be able find misalignment or subluxation. From the side view, the neck should have an arc of a circle. Any loss of cervical curve which is quite common upon impact can cause any of the symptoms above. It is important to be checked immediately following an accident, whether the emergency room or your chiropractor.
Treatment includes passive and active exercises, gentle massage, chiropractic, massage, spinal and extremity adjustments, therapies such as traction to correct the spinal posture, electrical stimulation to relax the muscle spasms, stretching, and ice. Using ice immediately following most whiplash injuries will help reduce inflammation and swelling. This should last for 10-20 minutes at a time every hour. After 24 hours, alternating between ice and heat is recommended, up to 20 minutes at a time. Be sure to wrap the ice or ice pack in a towel before using it. When sleeping, roll a towel and place underneath the neck while lying on your back, so that the back of the skull is on the bed. Many studies have shown Chiropractic and Acupuncture to work more effectively than medications for treatment of injuries sustained in car accidents.
Whiplash injuries have shown to have lasting effects for years. The forward and backward, or even sideway jolt of the head and neck are not only caused by auto-mobile accidents, but can also be caused by various amusement park rides, con-tact sports, and falls. Getting immediate attention is a must, and seeking good medical and Chiropractic care can help prevent surgery and more injuries from developing.