Whiplash
Whiplash is a term that describes injury to the neck that occurs as a result of a motor vehicle or car accident. The most common type of car accident is the rear impact, and most typically, the occupant in the vehicle that gets “rear-ended” (hit from behind) is at the greatest risk of injury. Until recently, the reason for the extent of injury was poorly understood. In addition, due to the legal and insurance issues, the veracity of complaints of neck pain and other symptoms by people who suffer from whiplash is commonly viewed as suspect. However, recent research has helped clarify why occupants struck from behind experience more extensive injuries than those in other types of crashes. This new information is important for the physician treating these problems, as it impacts the physician’s case management strategy. In fact, whiplash injuries can be quite complex and may include a variety of related problems, such as:
- Joint dysfunction Disc herniation
- Faulty movement patterns
- Chronic pain
- Cognitive and higher center dysfunction
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
- Treat the most important dysfunctions
- Teach the patient to return to a more normal lifestyle
The process of rehabilitation requires a concerted effort between the chiropractor, the patient and any other professional assisting in the case. The likelihood of success is enhanced by a continued focus on restoring normal function.
93% of Whiplash Patients Improve With Chiropractic Care
“The ‘whiplash’ syndrome is a collection of symptoms produced as a result of soft-tissue injury of the cervical spine. The accumulated literature suggests that 43 percent of patients will suffer long-term symptoms following ‘whiplash injury. If patients are still symptomatic after three months then there is almost a 90 percent chance that they will remain so. No conventional treatment has proven to be effective in these established chronic cases.”
28 patients with chronic whiplash pain were referred to the chiropractic physician an average 15.5 (range, 3-44) months after the accident, and were interviewed before treatment by both an independent chiropractor and orthopedic physician. The patients were assigned to one of four classification groups: A-No symptoms; B-symptoms are a nuisance; C-Symptoms are intrusive; and D-symptoms are disabling. The initial evaluation placed 27 of the 28 patients in groups C or D.
“Following treatment, 26 (93%) of the patients had improved: 16 by one symptom group and 10 by two symptom groups. This improvement was independent of whether it was assessed by an orthopedic surgeon or a chiropractor.”
Woodward MN, Cook JCH, Gargan MF, Bannister GC. Chiropractic treatment of chronic ‘whiplash’ injuries. Injury: International Journal of the Care of the Injured 1996; 27(9):643-645