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If you have suffered a whiplash as a result of this collision, this term describes the jerking motion of your neck at the moment of impact (Hyperextention-hyperflextion injury).

Damage occurs mostly to the soft tissues of the neck and upper back (ligaments, capsule, muscles and joints.)

If your head is turned at the time of impact, some ligaments are under tension exposing them to greater and deeper injury.

The sudden impact causes an elastic recoil of the anterior ligaments and surrounding tissue and muscles of the cervical spine as the head acutely flexes forward.

This can cause exposure of the intervertebral discs. This area of the body carries the messages of the brain out to the limbs through the nerves. The nerve column becomes pinched or closed off due to the pressure of the injured ligaments caused by the sudden whipping motion of the neck. This makes this type of injury very painful, sometimes to the patient’s extremities as well as his head and neck. 

It is often referred to as “soft tissue injury” and can have lasting effects.

It is important to realize an accident does not have to be severe in terms of damage to vehicles to have caused a neck (cervical) injury.

When external forces cause the body to exceed its range of motion, the excessive movement may injure not only the anterior or posterior longitudinal ligaments, but also those between the lamina or posterior, the nerves, the articular capsules, and the muscles.Even the spinal cord and the vertebral arteries may be exposed to trauma.

Be aware that there are numerous types of soft tissue that may be affected, but the muscles and ligaments around the neck and back area are usually the primary source of pain.

Injury to the ligaments will destroy the alignment and also the maintenance of the cervical vertebrae.

There are approximately 65 different ligaments that support about 40 facet joints in the cervical area.

When trauma occurs, the numerous joints ligaments heal and develop scar tissue. Thus the elasticity is lost, resulting in greater and more free movements around the joint than existed prior to the injury. The relaxed spinal joint becomes more unstable and may result in traumatic arthritis.

Immediate disability follows injury to the ligaments. Full functional healing is seldom perfect. Even after the defects or injuries are healed, there may be a loss of tone and lengthening of the supporting structures and therefore the spinal joint remains unstable.

In that, injury to the muscles can occur in the same way as injury to the ligaments, whiplash may result in inflammation or tearing or stretching of the neck muscles, especially those of the back and side. This results in muscle spasm, loss of the back’s usual curvature, and limitation of motion.

Muscle injuries usually heals within several weeks of injury. However, sometimes complications can occur making the muscle permanently inelastic or causing prolonged complaints due to the actual damage of the soft tissue being more extensive than realized at first.

Often the realization of the extent of the damage comes only with surgery.

Soft tissue damage is usually more serious than bone injury. Soft tissue heals with fibrous or scar tissue which lacks the elasticity and viability of the original tissue. Soft tissue is usually much weaker after the initial injury is healed. Every time there is movement in the neck, there may be pain. The pain residuals may last for months or even years because of scar tissue present in the soft tissue.

The lengthy period of healing or convalescence  may be explained by the fact that it takes a long time for soft tissue to mend. The degenerative changes caused by soft tissue damage will ultimately affect your functional ability. The effect can be permanent and leave you with years or perhaps a lifetime of residual pain or disability.

If you have been in an accident, whether recent or in the past and have not found chiropractic treatment, it’s time to visit Red Wing Chiropractor Clinic PA.Their knowledgeable team helps patients throughout their area achieve the relief they desperately need. Request an appointment online at www.redwingchiropractic.com, or call (651) 388-8294 for a free consultation with Dr. Jay Greenberg

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