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Introduction
to
whiplash
Chiropractors
are
specialists
in
treating
non-surgical
spine
injuries
and
commonly
treat
whiplash
injuries
from
car
accidents.
The
job
of
the
chiropractor
in
helping
his
or
her
patients
overcome
the
pain
and
disability
associated
with
whiplash
is
to:
-
Diagnose
the
source
of
the
pain
from
the
whiplash
injury
-
Treat
the
most
important
dysfunctions
-
Teach
the
patient
to
return
to
a
more
normal
lifestyle
-
The
process
of
rehabilitation
from
a
whiplash
injury
requires
a
concerted
effort
between
the
chiropractor,
the
patient
and
any
other
professional
assisting
in
the
case.
The
likelihood
of
success
of
recovering
from
whiplash
is
enhanced
by
a
continued
focus
on
restoring
normal
function
with
the
help
of
the
chiropractor.
-
After
a
whiplash
injury,
chiropractors
take
a
systematic
approach
to
establishing
a
diagnosis
(1),
including:
Read
These
Whiplash
and
Auto
Injury
Frequently
Asked
Questions
and
Find
Out!
What
is
whiplash?
A
Whiplash
is
an
injury
to
the
neck
caused
by
a
rapid
movement
of
the
head
backward,
forward,
or
side-to-side.. Whether
a
result
of
a
auto
wreck,
sport
or
your
job,
neck
injuries
warrant
a
thorough
physician
check-up.
The
hidden
danger
with
neck
injuries
is
that
underlying
problems
may
take
years
to
develop.
Too
often
people
don't
seek
treatment
until
more
serious
issues
develop,
like
degenerative
arthritis
in
the
injured
area,
to
herniated
disks.
Even
after
whiplash
victims
settle
their
insurance
claims,
roughly
40%
-
55%
of
previous
neck
injury
sufferers
report
that
they
still
suffer
with
symptoms
two
years
later.
In
the
past,
a
typical
whiplash
injury
where
no
bones
were
broken,
were
hard
to
prove
from legal
standpoint.
Soft
tissue
injuries
(injuries
to
the
muscles,
ligaments
and
tendons)
do
not
show
up
on
x-rays,
and
insurance
companies
would
deny
coverage
to
the
injured
party. Modern,
sophisticated
imaging
devices
(CAT
Scans,
Magnetic
Resonance
Imaging,
and
Ultra-Sound)
may
now
show
these
soft
tissue
injuries,
and
therefore
insurance
companies
cover
most
whiplash
injury
claims.
When
no
bones
were
broken
and
the
head
did
not
impact
the
windshield,
typical
symptoms
will
follow. 92%
complain
of
neck
pain,
which
usually
starts
within
two
hours,
or
up
to
two
days
after
the
accident.
This
is
often
the
result
of
neck
muscle
spasms
that
react
to
either
muscle
tears
or
excessive
movement
of
joints
from
the
damage
done
to
the
ligaments.
The
muscles
typically
tighten
in
an
effort
to
support
the
weight
of
the
head.
Almost
60%
of
those
suffering
from
whiplash
complain
of
headaches.
The
pain
may
be
on
one
side
or
both. These
headaches
are
often
the
result
of
tightened,
tensed
neck
muscles
working
to
keep
the
head
stable. They
are
similar
to
everyday "tension
headaches" as
they
are
often
felt
behind
the
eyes.
Radicular
pain
is
often
described
as
pain
radiating
down
the
back
of
the
neck
into
the
shoulder
blade
or
arm
area. This
may
also
be
the
result
of
tensed
muscles,
or
even
worse,
a
disk
or
nerve
injury. Muscle
tears
are
often
described
as
burning
pain,
prickling
or
tingling.
More
severe
disk
or
nerve
injury
may
cause
sharp,
shooting
pain
with
certain
movements,
that
may
travel
into
the
arms,
hand
and
fingers. Disc
and
nerve
injury
symptoms
are
normally
relieved
by
holding
your
hand
over
your
head.
Back
to
top
What
are
the
symptoms
of
whiplash?
Auto
accidents
can
result
in
a
number
of
complex
injuries
and
symptoms.
This
is
due
to
a
variety
of
factors
involved. When
evaluating
an
injured
neck,
physicians
should
take
into
account
the
beginning & end
position
of
the
victim
in
the
car
(before & after
the
collision),
the
speed
of
the
vehicles
before
the
accident,
size
of
the
vehicles
involved,
the
restraints
used
(air
bag,
seat
belt),
preexisting
health
conditions
of
victims,
age
and
gender
of
the
victims..
The
following
list
is
of
the
most
common
whiplash
symptoms,
as
well
as
their
rate
of
frequency.
If
you
experience
any
of
these
whiplash
injury
symptoms,
play
it
safe
and
get
a
auto
injury
check-
up
at
our
office.
 |
Neck
pain
and/or
stiffness |
92% |
|
Headache |
57% |
|
Fatigue |
56% |
|
Shoulder
pain |
49% |
|
Anxiety |
44% |
|
Pain
between
the
shoulder
blades |
42% |
|
Low
back
pain |
39% |
|
Sleep
disturbance |
39% |
|
Upper
limb
paresthesia |
30% |
|
Sensitivity
to
noise |
29% |
|
Difficulty
concentrating |
26% |
|
Blurred
vision |
21% |
|
Irritability |
21% |
|
Difficulty
swallowing |
16% |
|
Dizziness |
15% |
|
Forgetfullness |
15% |
|
Upper
limb
pain |
12% |
|
Upper
limb
weakness |
6% |
|
Ringing
in
the
ears |
4% |
|
Pain
in
the
jaw
or
face |
4%+ |
Back
to
top
How
does
whiplash
occur
during
an
auto
accident?
Whiplash
occurs
commonly
when
from
being
struck
from
behind,
at
any
speed. When
the
head
is
suddenly
jerked
back
and
forth
beyond
its
normal
joint
range
of
motion,
the
muscles
and
ligaments
supporting
the
spine
can
be "strained" (torn
muscles)
or "sprained" (torn
ligaments).
A
typical
rear-ended
auto
collision
can
result
in
whiplash
as
follows:
Phase
1
Studies
show
that
the
car
is
first
pushed
or
accelerated
forward,
and
is
essentially
pushed
out
from
under
you
as
your
back
forces
into
the
seat. Excessive "shearing
forces" develop
within
the
neck
and
your
normal
spinal
curves
then
straighten
and
become
compressed.
High
pressure
develops
within
the
brain
and
skull,
and
the
brain
stem
is
subjected
to
shearing
forces.
Phase
2
An
upward
rise
of
your
neck
then
occurs,
as
your
head
snaps
back
over
the
headrest
(and
possibly
collapses
it).
Head
rest
acts
as
a
fulcrum
and
jaw
injury
is
possible
with
the
high
compression
within
the
joint. Here
is
where
some
of
the
muscles
and
ligaments
are
stretched
or
torn
in
the
neck.
Phase
3
The
head
now
suddenly
begins
a
forward
or "flexion" motion
as
the
torso
sinks
into
the
seat.
Then
the
seat
recoils,
and
you
are
forced
forward,
increasing
your
velocity
30-70%
greater
than
that
of
your
car
speed! Any
slack
in
the
seatbelt
over-the-shoulder
harness
begins
to
tighten
and
restrict
motion. Your
neck
muscles,
in
a
reflex
action,
contract
to
bring
the
the
head
forward,
in
an
attempt
to
prevent
excessive
injury. Unfortunately,
ecause
the
head
is
already
traveling
in
a
forward
direction
at
such
a
high
velocity,
as
the
car
decelerates,
there
is
an "overcompensation".
Phase
4
Overcompensation
now
violently
throws
the
head
forward,
stretching
more
muscles
and
ligaments
in
the
back
of
the
neck.
Full
deceleration
of
the
head,
neck
and
torso
is
now
restricted
by
the
shoulder
harness.
High
pressure
and
sheaing-
forces
in
the
spine
can
cause
the
soft
vertebral
discs
to
bulge,
tear,
or
rupture. Vertebrae
can
be
jostled
out
of
their
normal
position,
resulting
in
a "vetebral
subluxation". The
brain
stem,
spinal
cord
and
nerve
get
stretched
and
irritated.
A
neck
with
vetebral
subluxations
may
quickly
show
arthritic
joint
degeneration
if
not
properly
treated
within
a
short
time
after
the
accident.
Back
to
top
What
factors
increase
risk
of
whiplash
injury
during
an
auto
accident?
-
Vehicle
mass.
When
both
vichles
are
equal
in
size,
an
8
mph
impact
produces
2
times
the
force
of
gravity
(2-G's)
acceleration
of
the
car,
and
a
5-G
acceleration
of
the
head
-
Headrest/head
restraint
position.
This
can
make
an
injury
much
worse
if
too
low,
and
even
at
the
right
height,
it
must
be
close
enough
to
catch
the
head
in
time
(about
2
inches).
A
seat
that
is
reclined
too
far
will
increase
this
distance,
as
will
poor
posture
and
driving
habits
if
leaning
forward.
Some
older
vehicles
(trucks, vans)
do
not
have
head
restraints,
adding
insult
to
injury.
-
Forward
position
of
the
head
at
impact.
If
turned
to
the
side
it
can
only
move
about
half
as
far
as
a
straightforward
position,
but
leads
to
other
types
of
neck
injuries.
Therefore,
if
your
head
was
turned
during
the
impact,
all
of
the
G
forces
are
localized
to
one
side
of
the
spine,
substantially
increasing
the
severity
of
injury
-
The
use
of
the
seatbelt
and
shoulder
harness.
Yes,
the
chance
of
whiplash
is
higher,
but
it's
much
better
than
the
other
option.
.
.
death.
-
A
rigid,
non-collapsing
seatback.
-
Ligamentous
instability
(joint
loosening)
after
the
accident.
-
A
rear-direction
impact
(being
struck
from
behind)
-
Non-awareness
of
the
impact.
-
Limited
range
of
motion
and
neurological
symptoms
after
the
crash.
-
Women
and
children
seem
to
get
injured
more
seriously
than
men
in
collisions.
Possibly
due
to
a
smaller
neck.
They
may
also
sit
too
close
to
the
steering
wheel & airbag,
or
have
an
improperly
fitting
shoulder
harnesses.
Children's
spinal
injury
problems
may
go
undetected,
so
it
is
VERY
important
to
have
them
checked,
even
if
they
claim
to
feel
okay.
-
Headaches
or
neck
injury
or
pain
prior
to
the
crash.
Pre-existing
health
problems
such
as
arthritis
and
degenerative
disk
disease
add
to
the
severity
of
the
injuries.
-
Age.
As
the
body
becomes
older,
muscles
may
become
weaker
and
less
flexible,
ligaments
less
pliable,
and
the
joints
may
have
a
decrese
in
range
of
motion.
What
health
issues
will
complicate
the
healing
of
a
whiplash
injury?
| Advanced
age |
Prior
cervical
spinal
surgery |
| Ankylosing
spondylitis
or
other |
Prior
thoracic
spinal
surgery |
| Congenital
anomalies
of
the
spine |
Prior
lumbar
spinal
surgery |
| Degenerative
disc
disease |
Prior
spinal
injury |
| Developmental
anomalies
of
the
spine |
Prior
vertebral
fracture |
| Disc
protrusion
(HNP) |
Rheumatoid
arthritis
or
other
arthritides
affecting
the
spine |
| Metabolic
disorders |
Scoliosis |
| Osteoporosis |
Spinal
stenosis
or
foraminal
stenosis |
| Paget's
disease
or
other
disease
of
bone |
Spondylarthropathy |
| Paraplegia
or
quadriplegia |
Spondylosis
Facet
arthrosis |
|
