Vertigo Cures

Whiplash InjuryWhiplash injury happens when the neck’s discs becomes dislocated or twisted due to the sudden impact. According to doctors, this kind of injury can result even in slow-traveling cars since a sudden impact is enough to injure the muscles, vertebrae, and ligaments in the neck.

Based on years of study, safety experts concluded that whiplash injuries are very common in car accidents. However, some causes of this injury are also attributed to blows to the head, falls, slips, and sports-related accidents.

Doctors said that many car accident victims have not been aware that they have sustained whiplash injuries until the first few days or weeks after the incident. However, after some time, they can experience these symptoms:

• Severe neck pain

• Blurred vision

• Ringing in the ears

• Irritability

• Problems in sleeping

• Numbness/pain in the arms or hands

• Lower back pain

• Dizziness

• Neck stiffness

• Shoulder pain

• Chronic fatigue

• Memory problems

• Headaches

• Difficulty with concentration

When a person experiences these symptoms, he/she should immediately go to a neurologist or chiropractor to prevent the condition from getting worse.

According to doctors, treatments for this injury usually include massage or physical therapy and certain medications to reduce the swelling of the muscles or ligaments. However, if the injury is extensive, doctors may require victims to undergo surgical procedure.

In several studies, researchers concluded that most people with whiplash injuries can recover two to three weeks. But in serious cases, some individuals reported having chronic pain which lasted for decades.

Back Injury

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than 40,000 people are killed and at least 2 million individuals are injured in car accidents every year.

Because car accidents often involve sudden impact, back injuries such as damaged rotator cuffs (muscles in the shoulder), herniated discs (irritation of the spinal nerves), and contusions (damaged blood vessels) are very common for victims.

According to several studies, rear-end collision is the most common type of car crash in the US. In this accident, even when the car is traveling at a low speed, back and shoulder injuries are very common.

In rear-end collisions, researchers discovered that herniated discs or the irritation of spinal nerves is the most common type of back injury. This happens when the cushion between the vertebrae is moved outside its normal position.

The second most common back injury in rear-end collision is muscle strain which happens when the tendons or muscles become twisted because of the sudden impact.

With years of studies, experts concluded that head-on collision is the most dangerous of all types of crashes. In this accident, compression fractures in the spine may occur. This injury happens when vertebrae compress against each other, creating fractures.

Here are some other common symptoms of back injuries caused by car accidents:

• Stiffness

• Chronic pain

• Instability

• Weakness or chronic fatigue

• Stiffness in the body

• Swelling

To pursue claims for whiplash and back injury caused by car accident, get help from our expert car accident lawyers. Visit our website and avail of our free case consultation.

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The syndrome of  whiplash  was first described in litigation in 1928. Since that time whiplash has had an unsavory reputation. Many researchers and doctors avoided involvement with whiplash injuries and opinions varied.

Over time, it became clear that complaints of patients sustaining this type of injury were, in fact, fairly consistent. The most common complaint, neck pain, could easily be understood, but other symptoms, such as ringing in the ears, dizziness, blurred vision, headaches, numbness, and back pain, were not so easily explained clinically.

According to research statistics, nearly one-third of all motor vehicle accidents are rear-end collisions. Newton’s first law of motion states that “an object continues either at rest or in a state of motion in a straight line, unless it is acted upon by an external force”. When a vehicle stopped at a red light is hit, the car is moved forward by the external force of the impacting vehicle. This force pushes the seat and driver forward. The neck, which is not in contact with the seat, remains stationary, causing hyperextension of the neck. When the front vehicle stops, the driver is thrown forward.

Although the shoulder harness prevents the driver from hitting the steering wheel or windshield, it forces the head to fly forward in a twisting motion, causing hyper flexion of the neck. Most injuries are a result of hyperextension, when the neck can exceed the maximum physiologic extension of 70 degrees by as much as 120 degrees, stretching some muscles as much as 30%.

The forces exerted on the head and neck with rear-end collisions can be quite high. For example, one G is the force exerted by the earth’s gravity which causes an object to fall at 32 feet per second. Pilots begin to pass out at 6 Gs, and at 8 Gs you are pinned to your seat. If a 150-pound person is subjected to 10 Gs, this is a force of 1,500 pounds. In crash testing, with impacts below 10 mph, the head can be subjected to 10 to 15 Gs for 100 milliseconds.

If the average head weighs 12 pounds, then it becomes a weight of 120-180 pounds. Talk about a headache!

Research involved with the actual injuries sustained by victims of whiplash show tearing of muscles, ligaments, vertebral disc derangement, tears in the ligamentous capsules surrounding the joints, damage to the sympathetic nervous system and peripheral nervous system, occult fractures, mild concussions, and micro-hemorrhages of the brain tissue and spinal cord, as well as stress disorders.

Many of these injuries are imperceptible on MRIs, CT scans, and x-rays. The symptoms range from muscle pain, headaches, jaw pain, vertigo, nausea, visual problems, forgetfulness, and unexplained numbness in the arms and legs, etc.

Symptoms may not present themselves for hours, days, months, or even years after the accident. Scientific evidence supports these characteristic of whiplash injuries. Other studies show that neck pain presents in 65% of patients within 6 hours of the accident, 28% within 24 hours, and 7% within 72 hours, though those people suffering symptoms immediately after the accident are more likely to continue to show symptoms more than 2 years following the initial injury.

People who have pre-existing conditions such as arthritis, and women due to their smaller frame and less muscle density than men, are more likely to be injured, though the speed and size of the vehicles involved, as well as the position of the seat and other factors play a significant role in determining the severity of an injury. Government reports revealed over one million injuries from rear-end collisions in 1990, and estimates project that over 25 years the prevalence of chronic pain from whiplash is more than 9% of the total U.S. population.
To lessen your risk of serious injury, wear your seatbelt, sit up in your seat with your seat in the upright position, and stop thinking of your head restraint as a headrest. The majority of people have their head restraint improperly positioned. Correctly adjusted, your restraint should be about even with eye level, and with no more than a two-inch gap between the restraint and your head.

If you are in an accident, even what appears to be a minor one, after life-threatening injuries have been ruled out, be sure to follow-up with a physician who specializes in soft-tissue trauma. Visit <A href=”http://www.ocalaimed.com”>Ocala Integrative Medicine</A> where Dr. Jonathan Walker and Dr. Anthony Sancetta will co-mange your care and effectively aid in your healing.

Remember, prevention is always best… drive safely, and watch out for the car behind you.

Read more from Dr. Jonathan Walker at http://ocalachiropractic.com. Ocala Integrative Medicine is the only multi-disciplinary clinic in Marion County, FL. Here Dr. Walker and Dr. Anthony Sancetta co-manage their patients care to provide a more comprehensive treatment for each case. Sign up for Dr. Walker’s newsletter to receive more information and special offers from Ocala Integrative Medicine.

Whiplash is a neck condition that is caused by a sudden movement of the head, usually brought on by an accident of some sort. The head can be jerked backward, forward, or sideways because of a sudden jolting of the rest of the body. Types of accidents that tend to cause whiplash include car accidents and sports injuries, but there are other ways in which the neck can be moved suddenly and violently. Perhaps the biggest threat with whiplash is that it can take months or even years for symptoms to appear, sometimes causing further injury or complications. Many times people wait to seek care until there are signs of more serious complications. It is not an injury that one can expect to be treated once and be done with. For this reason, it is usually best to seek chiropractic care from the onset of the problem, or from when there is first a possibility of whiplash having occurred.

Detecting Whiplash – It used to be hard to determine if a person had whiplash so it was often misdiagnosed or basically written off as the patient being something of a hypochondriac. This made it especially hard on a patient who was suffering from neck pain, but unable to get any treatment or medical coverage from insurance companies. However, nowadays there are various imaging scan devices that can be used to detect injury to soft tissue so that, even without broken bones, a person can receive treatment for whiplash.

Symptoms – Whiplash symptoms in the neck that do not incur any broken bones include neck pain and stiffness. The pain usually does not start to be felt until two hours after the accident occurs. However, it can also take up to two days for the symptoms to appear. The stiffness occurs as a result of torn muscles or other ligament damage as an effort for the muscles to take over supporting the head. It means less movement of the head.

Another common symptom of whiplash is headaches that can occur either on one side of the head or on both sides, can be constant or on intervals, and only in certain areas or isolated to one spot, often behind the eyes. As with the neck pain, tightened muscles are the culprit.

More general symptoms include blurry vision, difficulty swallowing, fatigue, dizziness, pain between the shoulder blades, pain in the arms or legs, pain the feet or hands, lower back pain or stiffness, nausea, vertigo, ringing noises in the ears, any numbness or tingling, shoulder pain, or pain in the jaw or face.

Dr.Heath Gallentine is a Chiropractor in Lexington, KY, owner of Lexington Family Chiropractic. If you would like additional information on how chiropractic can help relieve neck pain, back pain, headaches, sciatica, whiplash, fibromyalgia, and a variety of other conditions, visit our website and join our “members-only” section at ==> http://www.lexfamilychiro.com

Whiplash is an injury to the neck caused by a sudden movement back, forward or sideways of the head and neck. Depending upon the severity, it is also called a neck sprain or strain, cervical sprain or strain. The injury often involves the muscles, discs, tendons, and nerves.

Causes
• Most whiplash injuries are caused by a car accident, often by being struck from behind.
• Shaken Baby Syndrome
• Falls from a horse or a bicycle
• Headbanging
• Trauma from being hit, kicked or shaken
• Accidents, such as from riding a snowboard or a skiing accident
• Injury from riding a roller coaster or an amusement park ride that hyper-extends the neck or causes it to be snapped suddenly
• Extreme, sudden straining to lift or pull a very heavy object

Muscle and Ligament Symptoms
• Tightness or spasms of the muscles of the neck or upper back
• Pain with movement of neck
• Decreased mobility and stiffness
• Burning and tingling in neck and shoulders, upper back
• Pain in shoulder
• Pain in upper back or between shoulder blades
• Pain in one arm
• Low back pain
• Pain in jaw or face
• Pain in the face, the entire head, or behind the eyes
• Difficulty swallowing and chewing plus hoarseness, which can be symptoms of injury to the esophagus or larynx

Neurological Symptoms
These symptoms may be the result of injury to the soft tissue in the neck or a mild brain injury or concussion.
• Vision problems, blurred vision
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
• Poor concentration, forgetfulness
• Feeling of disorientation
• Sensitivity to sound and light
• Irritability
• Depression
• Sleeplessness
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Dizziness (vertigo)
• Feeling of pins and needles in arms, possibly legs

Diagnosing A Whiplash Injury
• History and Physical must be done
• X-rays to rule out fracture or dislocation
• CT Scan (Computerized Axial Tomography) shows detailed images of neck
• MRI ( Magnetic Resonance Imaging) produces detailed images

Treatment
Treatment depends upon the severity of symptoms.
• Ice may be applied to neck for 24 hours after injury.
• NSAID Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) may reduce pain and muscle inflammation.
• Muscle Relaxants may be prescribed.
• Physical therapy may be recommended.
• Mild range of motion exercises may be prescribed with proper posture methods to relieve excessive strain on neck.
• Cold and heat treatments may bring some relief.
• Massage therapy promotes healing and relieves pain.
• Chiropractic therapy may be recommended. Spinal manipulation appears to be the most effective within the first 6 weeks following the injury.
• Soft collars are advised only for the first 2 or 3 days when pain and inflammation re the worst. Prolonged use has been shown to delay recovery from whiplash. In some cases, intermittent use is helpful.
• A fracture or dislocation requires the wearing of a collar.

Prognosis
• Mild whip lash injuries may heal within 2 to 3 weeks.
• Moderate injuries require 2 to 3 months.
• Severe whiplash may take months to heal and symptoms, such as headache and neck pain, may linger for 6 months or longer.
• Chronic symptoms may last for years and degenerative changes in the disc and vertebrae may develop.

A whiplash injury truly can become a ‘pain in the neck’ for sufferers of its long term effects.

Paul G Miller is a Boca Raton chiropractic therapist who has worked with individuals with back pain problems for seven years.
If you would like to receive a free weekly newsletter on spinal decompression therapy visit www.usspinecare.com and also to get more in-depth information.

Answer
Dizziness is also a symptom of a heart attack. If you develop shortness of breath, neck, jaw,upper back or arm pain, feel like you have indigestion, pain or pressure in your chest, start to sweat, have a sense of impending doom, headache or toothache related to jaw pain, nausea or vomiting,any of these along with your dizziness is a cause for concern. Don’t delay if you have any of these other symptoms,heart attacks are not always severely painful, some are silent and the first symptom is death. Too many people delay because they think it is only indigestion or the flu. Dizziness can be a symptom of your blood pressure dropping due to your heart beating irregularly.

Chew an aspirin, and get to an E.R. immediately if you have any of these other symptoms. Do not drive yourself.Call an ambulance, for if your heart stops enroute you will need professionals to revive you. Let the paramedics know that you took the aspirin.