A Conservative Treatment to Whiplash

Whiplash is something that most of us suffer from but with its various degrees and symptoms we often shrug it off until it becomes too painful to bare or worse, we end up with a dislocation or a fracture. It should not be set aside since it is a public health problem that affects us substantially in social and economic cost.

The National Library of Medicine defines whiplash as an injury to the soft tissues of the neck from a sudden jerking or "whipping" of the head. This type of motion strains the muscles and ligaments of the neck beyond their normal range of motion.¹ We can get whiplash from various activities or accidents such as a motor vehicle collision or simply diving.

The symptoms associated with whiplash are pain and stiffness in the neck, headaches located at the base of the skull, dizziness, difficulty swallowing, nausea, and even blurred vision. In some cases the pain experienced from the neck can extend to the shoulders and upper arm. Severe cases shows the patient experiencing vertigo where the room appears to be spinning and a constant ringing or buzzing in the ear. In addition, some complains of pain in the jaw, irritability, fatigue and difficulty in concentrating.⁴

Depending on the signs and symptoms, Whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) can range from Grade 0 which denotes that there are no complaints or physical signs to Grade 4 which entails fracture or dislocation. ² Based on the study done by the University of York, patients have three options for treatment to choose from : noninvasive, medical and surgical.³ Various non-invasive treatments are used for Whiplash or WAD some of these are hot and cold packs, traction, physiotherapy exercise alone, manipulation, multimodal treatment including physiotherapy, electrotherapy, patient mobilization, strength training, acupuncture and chiropractic care. The aforementioned procedures are considered “conservative treatments” for they are more traditional in nature compared to the classic pill or drugs and injections or to some extent a placebo.

Treating whiplash at home involves using hot and cold packs, this helps control pain and muscle spasms are reduced. Another key point in resolving whiplash is staying active, unless your case requires immobilization. Exercise and stretching programs will be provided by your doctor, said program should be followed religiously to achieve the long-term benefits and not just temporary relief. Staying active is not something a patient should fear, especially if the exercise is within reason. In cases of neck pain it has been proven that spinal manipulation or mobilization coming from a chiropractor gives relief to the pain. Ergonomics and lifestyle changes are also recommended.

In general whiplash can not be prevented but there are small things that we could do on our to reduce the likelihood of getting severe or chronic neck pain. By making sure that we always wear restraints and adjust our headrest to the appropriate angle will help us reduce the chances of more severe injuries.

References:

1. Definition of Whiplash. Retrieved from the National Library of Medicine.
2. Conservative treatment of Whiplash (2011). Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0011988.
3. Conlin A, Bhogal S, Sequeira K, Teasell R. Treatment of whiplash-associated disorders - part I: noninvasive interventions. Retrieved from http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/crdweb/ShowRecord.asp?LinkFrom=OAI&ID=12005000023#.UnGHbhA0jQw
4. American Chiropractic Association. Whiplash (2013). Retrieved from http://www.acatoday.org/content_css.cfm?CID=3131