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Whiplash injuries : symptoms continued...
Why your body hurts...
All of the most common symptoms of whiplash can be traced either directly or indirectly to the trauma your neck experienced.
There are three major types of injury that whiplash can cause, and these are muscle injury, nerve injury, and facet joint injury. Let's look at each, and see how these injuries affect your recovery and treatment.
Muscle Injury
Most whiplash pain involves muscle tissue, since it is the most easy to damage in a rear end collision. During the impact, the muscles in your neck are stretched beyond what they normally experience. Muscle damage is accompanied by swelling and tenderness of the muscles in the neck and shoulders. Fortunately, muscle injuries heal quickly and usually don't require extensive, lengthy treatment.
Nerve Injury
Just as muscles are stretched during the rapid motion of whiplash, so are nerves. Most nerves are able to handle such motion. But if your head is turned or if your head restraint is not adjusted properly, a nerve can be stretched too far or pinched. Nerve damage can be slightly more difficult to treat than muscle damage. Time is the best treatment. In some cases, nerves that are trapped by bones or muscles may require more extensive therapy or even surgery.
Facet Joint Injury
Facet joint injury can show itself in a variety of ways. Pain in the area of the joint is the most common symptom. Facet damage, though, can also result in pain that is felt elsewhere in the body. Shoulder and arm pain are common whiplash complaints that may be related to facet joint injury. Treatment of joint damage can be more difficult for many reasons. First, the joint itself does not have a good supply of blood, which makes it hard for the tissues to heal. Secondly, constant motion of the joint and swelling can irritate the injury.
Again, time is the best treatment, and chiropractic plays a crucial role in improving joint health. Your doctor can determine the cause of your pain, and help you decide the best treatment. Only in the last few years have facet joints been identified as a cause of whiplash pain, so not much is known about how long they take to heal after injury. Some research shows that the facet joints may be responsible for those whiplash patients with long-term discomfort.
Effective Treatment
The goal of treatment is to help the damaged tissues heal from the injury. This may take time, depending upon the diagnosis.
First, its very important that you stay active and continue to keep up your daily activities. Don't take excessive time off work or recreation, as this can make it harder for you to get back into the swing of things. And, the more you make an effort to stay active, the easier it will be for you if you have a legal case later on.
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