Whiplash - Wide Range of Neck Injury and Other Health Complaints
Whiplash injury is a general term for a wide range of neck injury and other health complaints. It is
usually caused by a violent sudden movement of the head in relation to the torso. This sudden movement mostly
happens in a crash from a vehicle being hit from behind by another vehicle, as in
a rear impact collision or multiple collisions, but can occur in other crash
types. In the hospital injury coding, whiplash is registered as a non-serious but many studies
have shown that many victims suffer for years. Whiplash effects are not just by car accidents,
but can for instancebe the result of diving into the water.Whiplash injury or whiplash complaints are
names of health complaints that involve the neck and head. The complaints develop after a sudden violent
movement of the head as opposed to the torso. Medically it is a distortion of the neck vertebrae, but
medical publications point out it is not only the vertebrae, but other tissues, as far reaching as the
brain which can also be part of the injury. The fact that whiplash cannot be detected by customary means
like an x-rays, and the fact that sometimes the complaint can sometimes manifest themselves
sometimes after the car accident, can be a problem for making the proper diagnosis. The reason
why whiplash cannot be seen on x-rays is because whiplash primarily has to do with tearing
of muscles and ligaments, considered soft tissue which cannot be seen on a normal x-ray. Whiplash
is best diagnosed with the combination of neck pain, headaches, back pain, sciatica,
sleeplessness and concentration problems.
Research at the Spine Research Institute of San Diego and elsewhere has
demonstrated that females are exposed to significantly higher acceleration loads at the head than
males and experience somewhat different kinematic responses to car accidents. Males, with their
larger mass and taller seated height, tend to interact more with their seatbelt restraints,
bending the seat back rearward. Their heads often rise above their head restraint and they may experience
greater rearward bending (extension) of the neck. Females, with their lower mass, are more easily
accelerated and often experience greater forward bending moments of their necks. This is largely also a
function of better head restraints geometry and earlier head restraint contact.
Human Factors and how they influence the risk for injury
Awareness Preparedness for impact will greatly reduce the severity of injury in most cases of rear
impact crash. For example, early crash test researchers demonstrated that by bracing for impact a human
could reduce the forces to the head significantly. This was subsequently confirmed by others. The effect
of awareness was carefully analyzed in rear impact collisions more recently. It was found that none
of the patients (n=163) who were aware of the impending collision and pushed themselves back into the seat
were injured, whereas no differences were seen between those who were aware and did not push themselves
back and those who were unaware. Muscular tension alone would appear to be inadequate protection against
injury. However, one should distinguish a difference between awareness and preparedness, because the former
is not necessarily equivalent to the latter. Awareness is a significant outcome variable. Twenty-eight
percent of a group who were aware reported significantly fewer symptoms and a lower intensity of
headache. Another group who followed a small group (n=29) of CAD ( stands for cervical
acceleration-deceleration-Whiplash) patients for 6 months, found awareness to be a strong
prognostic indicator, with unaware patients 15 times more likely to have long-term chronic pain,
see spinal decompression. Japanese researchers conducted a retrospective evaluation of a very large
population of CAD victims and concluded that awareness was not a factor. However, their methodology was
flawed and their report was unreliable, as well as inconsistent with other reports. Although not reaching
the level of statistical significance, another author found that drivers who were unaware of the impending
impact were 20% more likely to be injured. (CAD- Stands for Cervical
Acceleration/Deceleration- aka whiplash)
Sex
Numerous studies have consistently revealed that males are more likely to be involved
in crashes than females. Female occupants, however, have the highest risk in all injury ranges. Males
and females are at equal fault for rear impact crash, but females are slightly overrepresented
in the struck driver role for reasons that are not clear. We suspect that they
spend slightly more time in the intersection and may be more likely to panic brake. It
is also consistently reported that females are at twice the risk for injury as males.
Treatment
The Spine Research Institute of San Diego recognizes that many of
the chronic pain sufferers and persons disabled by whiplash injury might be spared
that fate by a more effective and broad scope approach to treatment and rehabilitation. Rather
than the common passive role,
patients should be encouraged to take an active part in their rehabilitation, and should be
provided with every means practical to make a quick and complete recovery. For more information
see whiplash facts, phases of degeneration and your body - the amazing machine.
Carlsbad Chiropractic
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