Whiplash Injury treatment in Bangalore Dr Arun L Naik Spine Surgeon India

Dr Arun L Naik Spine Surgeon Bangalore India

Whiplash injuries are due to sudden extreme backward-forward bending of the neck mainly seen in car accidents. You may experience severe pain with neck restriction, dizziness, vomiting sensation and host of other complaints in the immediate period. Majority of these injuries are self limiting and innocuous. If diagnosed and treated in time, you can be back on your feet or else it may turn up to be a ‘pain in your neck’ in true sense of it.

God forbid- If you have ever been in a car accident and experienced pain in your neck, you have most likely had whiplash. Whiplash, also called neck sprain or neck strain, is an injury to the soft tissues of the neck. It is usually caused by sudden extension (backward movement of the neck) and flexion (forward movement of the neck) like the whip. Speeds as low as 15 miles per hour can produce enough energy to cause whiplash in a passenger in your car, whether or not they are wearing a seat belt! Rarely contact sport injuries or diving may cause whiplash.

What exactly happens?

The neck consists of seven vertebrae (spine bones) held together by muscles and ligaments, intervertebral discs (shock absorbers), joints enabling motion, and a system of nerves. The complexity of the neck's anatomy coupled with its diversity of motion makes it susceptible to whiplash. Thankfully only soft tissues of neck are injured, sometimes there may be injury to the intervertebral joints, discs, ligaments and nerve roots.

Most people experience neck pain either immediately after the injury or several days later. You may also suffer from neck stiffness, headache, dizziness, swallowing difficulty, voice change, shoulder and back pain. Muscle tears result in burning pain with tingling sensations. 'Wry neck', a condition associated with whiplash, occurs when the neck muscles responsible for head rotation/extension cause the neck to twist involuntarily.

Alright, any remedy?

A physical and neurological examination is performed to evaluate the patient's general condition. Fortunately, whiplash is treatable and most symptoms resolve totally in a matter of a few days. Initially, whiplash is treated with a soft cervical collar for 2 weeks. An X-ray of the neck is done to rule out bony fractures or for future reference in case of delayed symptoms. Heat therapy to relieve muscle tension and pain may be useful initially. Painkillers help to keep the pain at bay. Muscle relaxants are given to relive muscle tension. Once the pain subsides, you have to see a physical therapist for rehabilitation purposes. Physical therapy helps to reduce muscle spasms, increase circulation, and promote healing. PT may include the following modalities: moist heat, ice, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, and exercise to restore range of motion and build strength. For most patients, the symptoms of whiplash usually subside in 2 to 4 weeks.

If not relieved promptly, what next?

If symptoms continue or worsen after 6 to 8 weeks, further x-rays and other testing my be necessary to see if the patient suffered a more severe injury. Age and pre-existing health conditions like arthritis may increase the severity of whiplash. If symptoms persist, cervical traction may be undertaken. Trigger point injections containing a local anesthetic may help alleviate pain and tenderness. Severe extension injuries like whiplash can rarely damage the intervertebral discs. If this occurs, surgery may become a necessity.

Road to recovery

During the recovery phase, the goal is to help the patient resume normal activities at their pre-injury level. The guidelines set forth by the spinal physician and/or physical therapist should be closely followed. A home exercise program customized by the physical therapist is a key to rebuilding strength and increasing range of motion. It may be necessary to continue physical therapy and modalities for sometime.