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Archive for the 'Whiplash' Category

Whiplash Recovery

Exercise is an important part of whiplash treatment and is often overlooked by both patients and doctors. We will focus on several practical and effective exercises over the next several months. The first of this series can be called “brain exercises.”Brain Exercise #1: Eyes Still, Move Head. Hold a pen a comfortable distance in front [..]

Whiplash – Can We Predict Long-Term Problems?

Whiplash (or the rapid acceleration forwards followed by deceleration or sudden stopping of the moving head during the whiplash event) occurs at a speed that is so fast, we can’t prepare for it. In other words, by the time it takes us to voluntarily contract a muscle to guard ourselves against injury, that rapid forward/backwards [..]

Whiplash – Rest or Treatment?

Whiplash—or WAD (whiplash associated disorders)—is an injury caused by the rapid movement of the neck and head. This is the net result of the “classic” motor vehicle collision, though other injury models (like slips and falls) can result in similar injuries. Previously, we listed basic facts, of which one was that patients had better results [..]

Whiplash "Basics"

Whiplash is a non-medical term typically describing what happens to the head and neck when a person is struck from behind in a motor vehicle collision. Let’s look at some basic facts about whiplash:Before cars, trains were the main source of whiplash and was called “railroad spine.”Better terms for whiplash injuries include “cervical acceleration-deceleration” (CAD) [..]

Whiplash Diagnosis

Whiplash is, by definition, the rapid acceleration followed by deceleration of the head causing the neck to “crack like a whip” forwards and backwards at a rate so fast that the muscles cannot react quickly enough to control the motion. As reported last month, if a collision occurs in an automobile and the head rests [..]

Whiplash “Fun Facts”

Whiplash is a slang term for a condition called cervical acceleration, deceleration syndrome (CAD). There are facts and myths surrounding the subject of whiplash. Let’s look at some of the facts... 1. The origin of CAD. The history of CAD dates back before automobiles were commonplace. The first case of severe neck pain arose from [..]

Whiplash "101" (Part 2)

Our current Whiplash topic continues from last month when we reviewed the “mechanism of injury,” the “type of injury,” and “prognosis.” This month, we will review the “nuts and bolts” of the whiplash injury or whiplash associated disorders (WAD). Whiplash diagnosis: The diagnosis of whiplash first and foremost requires a thorough history. Here, your doctor [..]

Whiplash “101”

Whiplash refers to an injury to the neck resulting from a rapid movement, usually associated with a motor vehicle collision (MVC). However, it can occur with a slip and fall injury, a bar room brawl, or during a sports event (like being tackled in football), among other things. For the sake of this discussion, we [..]

Whiplash "Syndrome"

“Whiplash” is a slang term for a neck injury that is most accurately described as a cervical acceleration-deceleration (CAD) injury. Now you know why we call it “whiplash”! It suggests that the head was forced through a range of motion that exceeds what the tissues in the neck are capable of doing, thus resulting in [..]

Whiplash "Anatomy"

To better understand whiplash, let’s take a look at the anatomy of the cervical area and what is actually injured in a whiplash injury. The spine is basically a long chain made up of blocks that are larger at the bottom and smaller at the top. This means the low back vertebra are huge compared [..]