Whiplash
Whiplash commonly occurs when a car is rear-ended and the occupants of the front car experience a rapid backward-forward movement in their head and neck. It is often referred to as CAD trauma or syndrome, meaning the rapid movements injure the vertebrate, neck/back muscles, other ligaments and the brain. The severity of whiplash can vary. Neck and back stiffness can be expected for several weeks after the initial injury and can linger up to several months depending on the impact of the accident. Sometimes whiplash is referred to as neck strain or sprain because it is defined as a soft tissue injury.
Other side effects include
- Memory loss
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Cognitive issues
- Sleep problems
- Irritably
Accidents as slow as 5 mph can result in whiplash. Many whiplash related injuries happen outside of the automoblie world – many sporting activities can result in whiplash and other neck injuries. Activities such as football and soccer have relatively high instances of whiplash reported each year. Whiplash causes neck pain and muscle soreness but may also cause headaches, dizziness and back pain. Most people suffering from a whiplash or CAD trauma will recover in several weeks. However, recovery time is based solely on severity of the injury, timely medical response, effective treatment and execution of the treatment plan.
With many important nerves running along side the spinal column, cervical acceleration/deceleration (CAD) trauma can have wide ranging effects on both your emotional and physical health. Without treatment, the long-term effects of whiplash can be devastating and result in more health problems. The sooner diagnosis and treatment can happen, the faster and more successful the recovery.
Though the damage of a whiplash injury is centered on the soft tissues of the neck and back, the doctor will often times do cervical x-rays in order to monitor long-term development or rule out other spinal problems. Most whiplash treatments consist of a soft cervical neck collar worn up to 3 weeks and pain medication.
Other treatments include heat therapy for muscle tension and pain relief, analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, range of motion exercises, physical therapy and rest. Some patients seek treatment using cervical traction. Local anesthetic injections may also be needed.
