Whiplash injuries are among the most common injuries in the United States. Whether from a fall, motor vehicle accident or sports, whiplash injuries cause millions of Americans ongoing pain, sometimes for years after the initial incident. Drs. George and Stefanie Olar at 360 Chiropractic in Lacey explain that the damage caused by whiplash injuries can have ongoing consequences if not addressed early on and properly.
What Is Whiplash?
Spine issues can arise from surprisingly minimal forces. “It only takes a small amount of stretch—just a few millimeters—on the cervical ligaments to cause a complete tear during a whiplash-type force.” Dr. George explains. “The failure of elongation typically occurs within a range of 1.4 to 4.99 millimeters, which is a very small amount of stretch.” This can happen in a fall – as simple as missing a step! – or two football players crashing into each other. And of course, any motor vehicle accident has the potential to cause a whiplash injury.
Whiplash injuries primarily affect the seven cervical vertebrae (C1-C7) and the intervertebral discs, which are shock-absorbing connective tissues located between the vertebrae, with the exception of C1 and C2. These discs play a crucial role in cushioning the spine during movement. In addition to the vertebrae and discs, capsular ligaments surround the joints of the neck, and these ligaments are also vulnerable to injury during whiplash.
“Injury to the surrounding ligaments most commonly results in cervical instability,” explains Dr. George. “This instability can lead to neurological disorders affecting the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and even the vagus nerve.”
Dr. George notes that C1 and C2 are especially prone to injury because their capsular ligaments are naturally looser, allowing for increased motion at the base of the skull.
When your neck gets jarred during an accident, it stretches or even tears these capsular ligaments, causing your vertebrae to move out of place. “Ligamentous injuries are almost always a progressive condition,” shares Dr. Stefanie. The initial inflammation begins with a ligament injury, often caused by a rear-end car accident. In such an incident, the head is forcefully whipped backward and downward in a hyperextension motion, while the body is pushed forward by the seat. This is followed by a rapid deceleration of the vehicle, causing the head to snap forward and downward in hyperflexion. The motion can also involve hypercompression and hyperdistraction of the neck, and often includes hyperrotation if the head twists during the impact.
“When the force is greater than the strength of the ligaments, the ligaments can become injured, torn and weakened.”
But the damage doesn’t stop with the incident. Many of us return to daily life immediately, or shortly after, and continue to cause strain on already damaged ligaments. “We then add strain to these already inflamed ligaments with poor posture like looking down at your phone or letting your head drift forward while sitting at a computer,” shares Dr. George. “These ligaments will slowly become more and more injured and weakened. Those joints can continue to become more hypermobile, adding to a worsening of symptoms.”
Whiplash Symptoms
You may walk away from your incident thinking you are okay. Only to have what appears to be random symptoms show up days, week or months later. Or, maybe you received some medical treatment, but the symptoms have come back. This is common. “30-40% of people after a car accident experience symptoms 1 year after a significant whiplash, known as chronic post whiplash syndrome,” shares. Dr. Stefanie.
There are many symptoms of a whiplash injury, and unfortunately, many are symptoms that can be mistaken for something else. 360 Chiropractic says the most common are:
- Headache
- Neck pain
- Neck stiffness
- Shoulder pain
- Low back pain
- Dizziness
- Pain in your arm or hand
- Numbness in arm or hand
- Sleep disturbances
- Irritability
“Initially a loss of neck motion takes place because the muscles go into a bracing stage like a cast for a fractured bone in the arm to protect the neck,” adds Dr. Stefanie.
360 Chiropractic in Lacey Helps Whiplash Injury Patients
It should make sense that a chiropractor, who deals in bones, joints and how the body fits together to work in its best capacity, is a great doctor to see for whiplash injuries. 360 Chiropractic sees whiplash injuries on a regular basis. They do a full exam, including x-rays and an evaluation, so they see exactly what is going on with your particular injury.
“X-rays are a great way to evaluate the cervical spine curve and ligamentous injuries, especially with cervical flexion and extension views because the neck bones are put under gentle stress when x-rayed in those motions,” explains Dr. Stefanie. “Cervical lordosis refers to the natural curve of the neck when a person is looking straight ahead. Following a whiplash injury, the ligaments in the neck can become weakened, leading to a loss of the normal curvature. In some cases, this may result in a reversal of the cervical curve, contributing to post-traumatic neck pain and dysfunction.”
Chiropractic adjustments help restore normal joint motion in the neck. “This allows surrounding connective tissue like muscles, tendons, ligaments to heal, tighten and strengthen so proper joint motion takes place,” adds Dr. Stefanie. 360 Chiropractic’s whiplash treatments may also include cervical traction and cold laser, which helps speed up the healing process. Massage therapy can be another addition to treatment as it helps with reducing muscle tension, improving circulation and relieving pain.
If you need more help, Drs. George and Stefanie work with a team of professionals to help you with ongoing evaluations and diagnostics, including Coast Injury Medicine. “Dr. Nipun Sharma, D.O., and his team employ a comprehensive array of diagnostic tools, including MRI imaging, to assess ligamentous injuries. MRIs are particularly valuable in precisely locating the site of the injury and determining its severity, providing crucial insights for effective treatment planning,” shares Dr. George. They also have a variety of treatment options that will work with chiropractic care to help you on your road to recovery.
A law change in Washington State has made car accidents public record, which means you may begin receiving numerous calls offering care and representation. Dr. George advises taking a thoughtful approach when selecting your providers as well as representation. “It’s important to choose the right team and truly understand who you’re working with,” he says. “Take the time to find a team that will help you achieve your goals of greater spinal stability, continued healing, and reduced stress.
The biggest thing? Don’t wait for your symptoms to get worse. The longer you let it go, the worse your spine can get, as weakened ligaments cause the surrounding ligaments to work harder, possibly resulting in damage to them as well.
Visit the 360 Chiropractic website or call them at 360.923.0360 or more information.
360 Chiropractic
5101 Lacey Boulevard SE, Lacey
360.923.0360
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