Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention
Neck pain from whiplash is generally caused by a motor vehicle accident or from many sudden falls or jerking of the head. The pain you feel from whiplash can last as little as a few hours or plague you for the rest of your life. However, the route your pain will take is dependent on the severity of your accident and how soon you seek professional treatment. Whatever the case, the pain is difficult to bear and can make even the simplest tasks, such as looking over your shoulder while driving, difficult. Before discussing the treatment, options provided by KKT Orthopedic Spine Center for your pain we will go into a discussion of what whiplash is and the most common symptoms. Many psychologists have concluded that when you understand your condition better it is much easier to cope with the challenges you may be facing.
What is Whiplash?
The neck is designed primarily to maintain support for your head and give you enough flexibility to look up and down and to your right and left. Your neck has not been designed to withstand these high-speed forces. During an accident your neck experiences sudden twisting and jolting and the extreme forces of the accident causes the vertebrae in your neck to be pushed away from each other and then immediately slam into each other. This can cause damage to all the structures of your neck such as the bone, the discs between the bones, the ligaments holding them together, the muscles wrapped around your neck and even the nerve roots that exit your spine. Damage to these structures is usually the source of neck pain. In many cases the blood vessels of your neck may be damaged and this can cause headaches and other mental impairments.
Sources of Neck Pain from Whiplash
Here is a detailed list of the structures which may have been injured and the damage that has been caused by whiplash:
Vertebrae – An incident of whiplash will cause a loss of the normal curvature of your neck. Your neck is supposed to have a C-shape, however, after experiencing whiplash your neck will lose such curvature and this can severely restrict your range of motion and be the source of neck pain when you move your neck in certain directions.
Disc – The discs are important in providing adequate spacing between your vertebrae. When the disc is damaged your neck bones may begin to rub against each other and be a source of neck pain. This can also lead to impingement on the nerves and cause your neck pain to radiate to your arms and shoulders. If not treated, your discs will begin to degenerate and this will be the source of chronic neck pain. The KKT treatment is the only treatment on the face of the Earth shown to stimulate the disc and prevent further degeneration.
Muscles – Since your vertebrae is out of its normal curvature, this causes the muscles to abnormally extend or retract. The muscles begin to tighten or relax to accommodate the loss in normal curvature of the neck and this abnormal tension in the neck can also be the source of neck pain. If not treated early, abnormal muscle tension can make it more difficult to return your neck back to its original position. Luckily, after the KKT Treatment restores the normal curvature of your neck, your muscles will return to their natural position and any associated neck pain will go away.
Ligaments – Ligaments help keep your neck bones together. Due to intense stretch and twisting, the ligaments of your neck can be damaged. The tissue which makes up the disc is similar to the ligament and since the ligament is heavily innervated, it can be the source of intense neck pain. The KKT Treatment has been proven to show restoration of the ligaments, just as it can restore the discs. After completing your KKT Treatment session you can expect your neck pain to decrease substantially.
Blood Vessels – Many important arteries and veins go through your neck. Due to abnormal positioning of your vertebrae, these vessels can become constricted. This can be the source of constant headaches and mental deficiencies. One of the greatest benefits of the KKT Treatment is the restoration of blood flow that occurs due to the return of the normal curvature of your neck. Many patients who have had headaches for many years have found that after the KKT Treatment they no longer had them.
Nerves – The nerves of your spine exit small canals through your neck. If there is any narrowing in these spaces due to collapse of the disc or abnormal curvature of the neck you can begin to feel neck pain. Since these nerves go to your shoulder and arm you may actually feel pain in those areas. However, the source of the pain is not your arm, it is your neck. Many of these symptoms will be relieved after your KKT Treatment has begun to take full effect.
We hope that the detailed discussion helps you in understanding your neck pain and allows you to better cope with your condition. If you have any remaining questions please go to the KKT videos on the website at www.kktspine.com. We have informative animations and you will also have the opportunity to contact one of our KKT Specialists to get your questions answered.
Symptoms of Whiplash
The symptoms of whiplash are not limited to neck pain. Often the damage extends to other areas of the body, and you may begin to feel shoulder pain or back pain. Below you will find a comprehensive list of all the possible symptoms you may be feeling as a result of your whiplash:
- Neck pain, neck stiffness, neck tenderness
- Back pain, back stiffness, back tenderness
- Shoulder pain, Shoulder stiffness, Shoulder tenderness
- Dizziness
- Memory Loss
- Concentration Impairment
- Nervousness or irritability
- Sleep Disturbance
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Ringing in the ears (Tinnitus)
How is Whiplash Diagnosed?
Whiplash can be diagnosed through:
Medical History and Physical Exam
Your doctor will ask you several questions about your symptoms, past conditions and treatments. After that, your doctor will perform physical examination to check the origin of the symptoms. You might be asked, if possible, to perform some maneuvers to help the doctor further evaluate the cause of pain. During the exam your doctor will need to touch and move your head, neck and arms. He or she will also ask you to move and perform simple tasks. This examination helps your doctor determine:
- The range of motion in your neck and shoulders
- The degree of motion that causes pain or an increase in pain
- Tenderness in the neck, shoulders or back
- Reflexes, strength and sensation in your limbs
Diagnostic Tests
- Whiplash injuries are most of the cases to soft tissues – muscles, discs, and ligaments. X-rays of the neck taken from multiple angles can identify fractures, dislocations or arthritis.
- Computerized tomography (CT) is a specialized X-ray technology that can produce multiple cross-sectional images of bone and reveal details of possible bone damage.
Even though the doctor can diagnose this condition through physical examination, he or she might request a specialized imaging test such as MRI. MRI scans can detect some soft tissue injuries, such as damage to the spinal cord, discs or ligaments.
Treatment for Whiplash
There are many different types of treatments available. All claim that they can treat the neck pain, back pain, or shoulder pain resulting from whiplash, however, to date there is no scientific evidence that any of those treatments can address the root cause of your neck pain, back pain or shoulder pain. In the past, immobilization of the neck in a cervical collar was the most common treatment for whiplash injuries. Today, instead of immobilization, early movement is encouraged. Here are some of the treatments for whiplash:
- Medications – anti-inflammatory, antidepressants, muscle relaxants
- Exercise and physical therapy – stretching, traction exercises, massage
- Heat or Ice
- Injections
- Electrical nerve stimulation
- Chiropractic spinal manipulation
- Foam Collars
Many of these “alternative” treatments provide temporary relief or merely mask your symptoms. None of them work to reverse the underlying conditions which are the source of your pain.
KKT utilizes “Quantum Waves” which can gently restore your spine back to its original position. This will allow many of the muscles, ligaments and nerves which have been abnormally positions, due to the shift from your injury, to return to their normal positions. This will eliminate the neck pain you were feeling due to the malpositioning. Scientific studies have shown that “Quantum Waves” can also stimulate spinal tissues and prevent long term degeneration. Currently there is no treatment modality which can provide such benefit.
Since KKT utilizes more sophisticated and advanced analytics which are largely unavailable in other clinics and hospitals, it can give more detailed information about possible “hotspots” in your back and neck. The images obtained are used to create a personalized treatment protocol focused on correcting the underlying problem areas.
KKT International has devoted a tremendous amount of resources in developing a treatment modality that is effective and evidence based. We have been proven through careful and systematic research and clinical studies to provide lasting results to neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain. The success of the KKT Treatment lies in the fact that KKT utilizes patented and sophisticated technology which can address the underlying cause of the pain, rather than simply masking the symptoms.
you are concerned about any of the signs and symptoms above, a comprehensive diagnostic assessment by a KKT physician will show if you require treatment. Click here to find your nearest KKT clinic and book an appointment.
TESTIMONIAL
“In 2001, I was involved in a car accident while travelling as a passenger. I experienced a severe jolt and the injury to my neck left me with severe headaches and neck pain. I also experienced dizziness and ringing in my ears. After going for many sessions of physiotherapy, massage and acupuncture, I felt that there would be no option but to live with these problems for the rest of my life. I had lost hope. I was told about KKT. Within one month of treatments at the KKT Centre my pain has gone. Today, I no longer have the shoulder tightness nor do I get ringing in my ears or dizziness. I have referred many of my family for KKT treatment and am fortunate to be able to see them regain their health.”
-Mrs. A. Gonzales.