What is Whiplash and Why Should I Seek Treatment?

What is Whiplash and Why Should I Seek Treatment?

This article is the first part of a series on whiplash injuries. It discusses the basics of what a whiplash injury is, common complications, and the basics of appropriate treatment. Next up in the series will be a detailed discussion of common whiplash symptoms and their treatments.

You’ve just come to a stop at a red light. The vehicles ahead are crossing the street, and everything seems to be going like it should. Suddenly, a vehicle from behind collides into your car, sending your neck lunging forward. The seatbelt stops your body from advancing, and in doing so, causes your neck to whip backwards before coming to a stop. Concerned, you visit the hospital and are told you’ve experienced a whiplash injury. The hospital ER workers tell you that you’ll be fine; take these pills and go home to rest.

This is the experience is all too common for those having just come out of an auto accident. But what exactly is “whiplash?” Whiplash is, by far, one of the most common types of injury encountered in a motor vehicle accident. It occurs as a result of the head’s momentum stopping suddenly and immediately reversing in a “whip” like motion.

Whiplash (Hyperextension/Hyperflexion Injury)

Whiplash is not a medical diagnosis, but a common term used to summarize this specific type of neck injury that is usually a combination of strain (the term used to describe injury to muscles) and sprain (the term used to describe injury to ligaments and cartilage).

During the initial phase of whiplash, the head rapidly accelerates before stopping suddenly. This sudden stoppage is the result of the muscles behind the neck contracting to stop the head and ligaments attached to the spine that prevent excess forward motion. The forces involved in an accident a proportional to the speed and mass of the offending vehicle and even in minor accidents can exceed the load tolerance of the neck’s muscles and ligaments.

In the second phase of whiplash, the head jerks backwards as the momentum is redirected. This results in injury to the muscles on the front of the neck and ligaments on the front of the spine. The sudden backwards bending can also compress the joints of the neck, injuring the cartilage. Additionally, many accident victims strike their head against the headrest, resulting in an impact injury and further damage to the attached muscles.

Occasionally, more serious complications such as injury to the spinal discs, fracture of the spinal segments, or compression of the spinal nerves may result. These types of injuries may cause permanent symptoms if not properly managed.

Whiplash and Concussion

The first and second phases can sometimes repeat with lesser force depending on the severity of the crash. Each motion is likely to exceed the muscle and ligament load tolerances, resulting in additional injury. In some cases, the brain is also injured in what we call a concussion; it is suspended in fluid inside the cranial cavity and when the head moves suddenly, the brain strikes the front of the skull during the initial forward whipping motion, then the back of the skull during the return.

Some accident victims report seeing stars or blacking out briefly; this is related to the brain, as the back portion of the brain is responsible for vision. When injured, the occipital lobe can sometimes lose its normal visual signal and the resulting effects vary from scotoma (visual spots, commonly referred to as "seeing stars") to temporary loss of vision (blacking out). The frontal lobe, when injured, also contributes to the sense of blacking out as it plays a large role in our consciousness.

Does Whiplash Require Treatment?

While minor cases of whiplash sometimes heal on their own, most cases benefit from seeking treatment in the form of chiropractic care and physical therapy. Injured joints make movement of the neck difficult, while damaged ligaments may result in instability, increasing pain and contributing to long term formation of arthritis. Injury to the muscles further increases neck instability and besides causing local pain, often leads to severe headaches.

Medicine may help alleviate some symptoms temporarily but rarely aids the healing process. Some drugs may also prevent you from going to work; muscle relaxers are intended to relax injured muscles but carry the warning “do not operate heavy machinery.” In case you were wondering, heavy machinery includes motor vehicles like cars and trucks!

Chiropractic adjustments (also known as spinal manipulations) help improve motion in the joints and alleviate the pain associated with whiplash injuries by relaxing the muscles and improving communication of the nervous system. Physical therapy aids in returning stability to the injured areas for lasting relief and prevention of recurring symptoms.

Where to Start

Our offices routinely see hundreds of whiplash injuries a month. In nearly all cases, chiropractic methods prove to be effective means for managing the sprains and strains associated with neck injury from whiplash.

The first step to getting better is always to receive a proper evaluation. Whiplash evaluation consists of a robust accident history, physical examination, orthopedic testing, and appropriate imaging such as X-ray, CT scan, and/or MRI. Your doctor can then assemble a proper treatment plan and coordinate care with you until you’ve fully recovered from your injuries.

If you or someone you know is suffering from a whiplash injury sustained in an auto accident, give our office a call to setup an evaluation. We look forward to helping restore your health!

Stay tuned for our next article, Common Whiplash Symptoms and Their Treatments.

About the Author

Dr. Brandon Orsino is a chiropractic physician specializing in treating injuries related to automobile accidents. Along with the other chiropractors at Dynamic Medical & Rehabilitation, he uses chiropractic techniques and physiotherapies to get patients feeling better and back to living their best lives.