Often whiplash occurs after a sudden, unexpected movement
of the head which causes rapid extension and flexion of the neck, most commonly
during a car crash, sporting activity, or fall. This can also be the result
of sleeping or holding the neck in an awkward position.
Why did I get a neck strain?
The neck seems to be prone to a whiplash type of injury because of the
demands placed on the cervical spine. The cervical vertebrae are connected
with ligaments and supported by muscles. Together, these structures must
provide our heads with support and allow a wide range of motions. The
head weighs up to 15 pounds and clearly can place stresses on the supporting
structures of the spine. When the muscles or ligaments are injured, the
capacity of the cervical spine is compromised, and the resulting pain
may interfere with our daily lives. That's why whiplash injuries tend
to be nagging injuries which cause a number of problems.
What is the treatment for whiplash?
A brief period of resting the neck muscles will often help alleviate
the initial pain and spasm of the neck muscles after whiplash type injuries.
Allowing the muscles and ligaments around the cervical spine to rest and
recover is an important aspect of treatment. Although rest is important,
prolonged rest may be detrimental to recovery, since stiffness and restriction
of motion may occur. If rest does not alleviate symptoms of whiplash,
you should be seen by your physician as soon as possible. Since whiplash
may hide more serious injuries, it should be taken seriously.
There are other simple steps which may help your neck strain symptoms:
Apply ice packs
and heating pads intermittently
Try an anti-inflammatory medication
Consider physical therapy for stretching and exercises
In general, treatment of cervical injuries should be guided by a spine
specialist.
What conditions, other than whiplash, could be causing my neck pain?
There are many other conditions which may cause neck pain, some of these
are serious and require medical attention. Although pain and stiffness
seem to be the hallmarks of a muscular or ligamentous strain injury, there
are a few signs which may indicate more significant underlying disorders.
Some signs to watch for are:
Weakness of the
hands or arms. These symptoms may be due to compression of the spinal cord
or the spinal nerves which exit the cord. Some causes of this include ruptured
discs and spinal stenosis.
Numbness or abnormal
sensations in the hands and arms. Again, these symptoms can be cause by
injury to the spinal cord or nerves. If these symptoms are present, then
you should have further evaluation.
Pain accompanied
by unusual weight changes or fevers. It is important that neck pain accompanied
by these symptoms, as well as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fevers,
chills, or sweats, be further evaluated. While it is unusual, these can
be the first signs of infections or tumors.
Lack of improvement
over time. Any problem such as this that does not improve over time should
be further evaluated. If the initial diagnosis is whiplash, but the neck
continues to be problematic, further evaluation should take place.
