WHIPLASH AND CONCUSSION Signs and symptoms for Adults and Children, even if it was years ago

I’m not sure if it’s because we’re more distracted than ever or that the sun’s out a tad more lately and we don’t know what to do with ourselves, but in our office over the past two weeks, we’ve seen significantly more car accident injuries.

Whiplash may not be the sexiest of topics BUT, once we read on, we get a glimpse of how if we’ve ever suffered a whiplash and it wasn’t handled completely, we may still be suffering, even if we’re no longer in pain.

What we don’t hear is that whiplash injuries mimic concussion and concussions mimic whiplash injuries.

Whiplash will occur, not just when we’re hit from behind, but when we’re hit from any direction.  Whiplash injuries can also come as a result of falling on our bottoms or falling forward.  I, personally have been in a handful of car accidents (my lead foot takes “most” of the blame). By far,  the worst whiplash I’ve ever suffered was from a ski fall which probably looked quite benign, and happened only 50 feet from the ski lodge.  

Our spine and central nervous system are the foundation for our health and life.  The vertebras in our necks articulate together to form a curve which should measure about 35 degrees.  Many call this curve the “arc of life”.  Studies have shown that when the normal curvature in our necks becomes lost, our lung capacity, oxygen saturation, hormonal response to stress and our ability to problem solve and learn are affected.  Studies also show that as we lose the normal curvature in our necks, our lifespan shortens.  The two are inversely proportional.

There are many ways to lose our curve including lack of tummy time as babies, looking down at phones all day and too much sitting.  Whiplash injuries which can occur from falls, sports injuries and car accidents will, unless handled properly, result in a loss of this “arc of life”.

The immediate symptoms of whiplash include the obvious:  Neck pain, upper back pain, stiffness, headaches and a heavy feeling in the head.  Often though and rarely addressed, we also see symptoms of fog on the brain, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, dizziness,  difficulty sleeping, difficulty forming thoughts, nausea, irritability, and a feeling of eye strain.  These, not coincidentally are very similar to the symptoms of a concussion.  The most recent research on concussion tells us that concussion occurs not just when the brain suffers a “bruise” but also when the base of the skull (as it relates to the top of the spine) suffers the traumatic stress of being overstretched.

Because we have so many kids and babies in our practice it’s very important to discuss the symptoms of a whiplash injury on these little weed hoppers.  Very rarely will parents notice neck stiffness or signs of headache with the little ones after an accident.  Parents should look for mood changes, restless sleep or increased fatigue, digestive changes like constipation, and changes in appetite.  

Most whiplash injuries go unaddressed.  We may go to urgent care following an accident.  They may take x rays and tell us we’re fine and send us home with anti inflammatories and muscle relaxers.  Important to note though is that when the urgent care doctors and radiologists look at x rays, they look for fractures, dislocations and signs of immediate red flag trauma.  What goes undressed is the alignment of the spine, which again, is very dangerous to ignore.

The nerves that exit the spine in the area of the neck send all of the energy and strength to our  centers for hormone balance, our blood pressure, thyroid, sinuses and inner ear.  Most importantly though, the nerves here, also send strength and energy to our sympathetic nervous systems, which is our flight or flight response center.  When this area sits distorted, we may find ourselves in a constant state of fear, anxiety, or stress, despite the fact that we know that in the absence of danger, we shouldn’t feel this way.  Please let it sink in that antidepressants are currently the most prescribed class of medications in the US, including for our kids.

After an accident, sports injury or fall, having an evaluation, including X-rays by a chiropractor can absolutely prevent a lifetime of symptoms and suffering.  And… those symptoms we suffer from which we’ve been told are random, genetic, or just luck of the draw…they all have a cause.