Whiplash and Other Neck Injuries Cause Host of Problems

Thousands of Americans suffer from episodes of acute or persistent neck pain each year as a result of injury, strain, overuse or aging. Problems in your cervical spine (the first seven bones in the neck running from the base of the brain to just past the shoulder blades) require assessment and treatment to prevent further, more permanent damage. The cervical spine houses the spinal cord, and the spinal cord is the most delicate tissue in the entire body. Even minor damage to the spinal cord cannot be repaired. Untreated spinal cord injuries can lead to irreversible damage.

Whiplash is a non-medical term used to describe neck pain following an injury to the soft tissues of your neck (specifically ligaments, tendons, and muscles). It is caused by an accidental motion or force applied to your neck that results in movement beyond the neck's normal range of motion.

Whiplash most often happens in vehicle accidents, sporting activities, accidental falls, and cases of assault. Other, more “medical” terms for whiplash include acceleration flexion-extension neck injury and soft tissue cervical hyperextension injury. Your doctor may use the more specific terms of cervical sprain, cervical strain or hyperextension injury. Regardless of the terms used, whiplash can be painful and can be much more serious than initially thought.

As common as neck pain is, the cause of it is not always obvious. Some of the most common causes of neck pain are:

· Injury and accidents: A sudden forced movement of the head or neck in any direction and the resulting rebound of the head or neck in the opposite direction is known as whiplash. This sudden whipping motion causes injury to the surrounding and supporting tissues of the neck and head. Severe whiplash can also be related to injury to the intervertebral joints, discs, ligaments, muscles and nerve roots. Car accidents are the most common cause of whiplash. Work-related accidents, sports accidents and industrial accidents often cause neck injuries.
· Age: Degenerative disorders such as osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease affect the spine in various ways and cause a progressive deterioration of cartilage.
· Daily life: Poor posture, being overweight and having weak abdominal muscles can all affect the spine's balance, causing the neck to bend forward to compensate. This can result in pain and stiffness.

Treatment for Neck Injury

There are a variety of treatments for neck injuries that your doctor may recommend. You may have to wear a neck brace, have surgery, receive physical therapy and/or take medications. In four to six weeks, the majority of patients with neck pain improve without surgery, and less than 5% of neck problems require surgery at all.

What You Can Do

If you are suffering from whiplash or some other serious neck injury due to the negligence of someone else, you may be entitled to compensatory damage for your injury and subsequent losses. Damages may include medical costs, lost income, future lost earnings, pain and suffering, mental anguish and disability. The statute of limitations for personal injury cases varies from state to state, but usually the time frame is limited.