Do you have neck whiplash?
As whiplash injuries are studied more and more, the many health problems that can develop as a result of them are becoming more apparent. Neck sprains are not simple problems like a sprained ankle because the neck is involved in a lot of important duties, not just movement.
One such function of the neck is to keep you upright and in balance. Balance is complex and involves coordination between sensations in your inner ear, your eye movements and neurological signaling from your neck, spine and legs. The neck nerves are especially important in this regard. The brain receives inputs from the ears, the eyes, and neck, and determines from these three areas where you are in space, where’ve you been, and where you are going. If any of these areas is affected, then balance is disturbed. This is called proprioception or where our body is perceived in space by us.
You may stumble around more, not really have a sense of where your feet are; you may trip more and in severe cases, you may develop vertigo (a spinning sensation). These symptoms can have a devastating effect on your quality of life, even resulting in nausea.
A recent study from Europe (funded by an insurance company) (Coll Antropol 2007;31:823) looked at how we sense position of the head following whiplash. The researchers compared whiplash-injured patients to normal healthy people in their ability to sense the position of their head; whether they were rotated or tilted in some way. The results were alarming. Patients with cervical spine injury showed significant impairment of proprioception (sense of position)
Chiropractic care involves trying to normalise joint function of the neck without drugs. Adjustments are designed to restore normal mobility and improve the posture of the neck so that it is more balanced. Some patients will need specific exercises, even balance therapy, to help improve their sense of position and keep them from feeling dizzy.
So if you’ve wondered about feeling unsteady, or are not really sure on your feet, this could be a consequence of a whiplash injury and you often need a thorough chiropractic examination. Both the brain and neck can be injured in whiplash and the symptoms can be quite substantial.
Delaying proactive examination can create an even longer lasting problem. Bed rest or simply not moving the neck are not best options often, because your neck needs motion and proper alignment to properly heal. Some neck collars just support an ongoing injury leading to neck muscle weakness.
Chiropractors focus on a rehabilitation program to help you get past the whiplash injury, and hopefully back to the normal quality of life you enjoyed before the trauma.
Phone 08 95371226 for an assessment today!
