| Short Term Damage |
Definition
Whiplash is a
term that describes injury to the neck that occurs as a result of a motor
vehicle or car accident. The most common type of car accident is the rear
impact, and most typically, the occupant in the vehicle that gets "rear-ended"
(hit from behind) is at the greatest risk of injury, including whiplash.
The most common symptoms are
- Pain in neck/across shoulder
- Pain in arm/shoulder/wrist
- Tightness Limitation of motion
- Discomfort aggravated by motion
- Tingling sensation
Other associated symptoms include:
- Headache/Dizziness
- Ringing in the ears with other audio or visual
disturbances
- Varying degrees of anxiety
Compounding the possibility
of severe whiplash injury is the automobile accident that occurs on icy roads
when the driver is already tense, or the accident that happens as a result of
driver fatigue and momentary inattention to the road and other
traffic.
Tension keeps muscles shortened and tightened, highly
susceptible to injury. |
Whiplash
Until recently, the reason for the extent of whiplash injury was poorly
understood. In addition, due to the legal and insurance issues, the veracity of
complaints of neck pain and other symptoms by people who suffer from whiplash is
commonly viewed as suspect.
However, recent research has helped clarify why occupants struck from behind
experience more extensive whiplash injuries than those in other types of
crashes. This new information is important for the physician treating these
whiplash problems, as it impacts the physician’s case management strategy. In
fact, whiplash injuries can be quite complex and may include a variety of
related problems, such as
- Joint dysfunction
Disc herniation
Faulty movement patterns
Chronic pain
- Cognitive and higher center dysfunction
Mechanics of Whiplash
The sudden jarring crack of whiplash may cause injury from moderate to
severe, to the intricate bones and muscles of the cervical spine.
When
the bones of the neck move out of normal position, it causes a restriction in
the opening between them where the nerve and blood vessels are passing through.
This may result in an irritation to the nerves and interference with nerve
transmission and blood supply vital to body function. This so-called pinching of
nerves may cause reduced function or, depending on severity, complete
dysfunction of the area of the body governed by the impulses from the affected
nerve.
If the whiplash causes construction of the blood supply to any
area of the body, a variety of problems may result. Indeed, pinched nerves
and/or constructed blood supply nay masquerade as a number of illnesses; in this
case, the organ supplied in signaling its distress. |
|
Definition
Strains
A strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon that is caused by a twisting, pushing, hitting or yanking of a joint. In the case of a car accident, the body can be jarred in various directions, which can lead to unnatural movements in the joints, and the potential for a partial or complete tear in a muscle or tendon. The typical treatment for a sprain is common to all soft tissue injuries: rest, ice, compression and elevation, although more intensive treatments may be required.
Sprains
A sprain is an injury that directly affects the ligament tissue and is commonly caused by a wrench or twist of a body part. Commonly known as a “pulled” or “torn muscle”, a sprain can occur in the arms, legs, back, and neck. Sprains can be very minor or lead to the partial or complete tearing of a ligament. The typical treatment for a sprain is common to all soft tissue injuries: rest, ice, compression and elevation, although like strains and contusions, more intensive treatments may be required. |
Sprain/Strain's
Possible Injury Locations
- Mid and Low Back -
- Upper extremities -
- Shoulder
- Elbow
- Wrist
- Hand
- Lower extremities -
|
|
Definition
Contusions (bruises) are soft tissue injuries that can result from any kind of blunt force against the body. In a motor vehicle, it can happen when a part of the body strikes any appendage of the car including the steering wheel, window, or frame. Discoloration at the injured site usually occurs from the rupture of tiny vessels that collect under the skin. The typical symptoms of a contusion include swelling, visible discoloration, limited joint range of motion, and mild to severe pain. |
Contusions (Bruises)
Most contusions are simple bruises that change various colors and fade away as the body metabolizes (breaks down) the blood vessels in the skin. Sometimes, however, a pool of blood can collect within the damaged tissue, leading to a lump of small to large size over the injured area that is medically referred to as a hematoma. If the impact led to severe tissue injury, bleeding and swelling beneath the injury can lead to shock.
While most contusions are limited to the skin, a minority of contusions can affect other parts of the body. A bone contusion, an extremely painful form of contusion that occurs when constant pressure is applied to a part of the bone, is usually followed by bleeding and swelling. Bone contusions are usually extremely painful and can last from weeks to months. If the impact was especially severe, internal contusions can occur to the abdomen and heart muscle (myocardial contusion) that can be extremely dangerous and lead to internal organ damage. Myocardial contusions are normally diagnosed through the use of electrocardiograms (ECG). |
|
Definition
An injury to the head causes the brain to bounce against the rigid bone of the skull. This force may cause a tearing or twisting of the structures and blood vessels of the brain, which results in a breakdown of the normal flow of messages within the brain. The damage to the brain generally is found deep within the brain tissue. Because of this damage, the normal function of the brain signals are interrupted. |
Concussions
Concussion Categories:
Grade 1:
The mild concussion occurs when the person does not lose consciousness (pass out) but may seem dazed.
Grade 2:
The slightly more severe form occurs when the person does not lose consciousness but has a period of confusion and does not recall the event.
Grade 3:
The classic concussion, which is the most severe form, occurs when the person loses consciousness for a brief period of time and has no memory of the event.
Evaluation from a health-care provider should be performed as soon as possible after the injury.
Mild head injury, such as concussion is a frequent cause for hospital admission, with an estimate of more than 600,000 cases per year in the United States. |
|
Definition
Fractures are breaks in bones. Severe breaks may require surgery to repair. However, most fractures are treated by immobilizing broken bones in casts or splints until they have grown back together. |
Fractures
Fracture Types:
- Oblique - a fracture which goes at an angle to the axis
- Comminuted - a fracture of many relatively small fragments
- Spiral - a fracture which runs around the axis of the bone
- Compound - a fracture (also called open) which breaks the skin
|
|
Definition
The rotator cuff is a set of four ligaments that brace the shoulder, where the top of the upper arm bone (humerus) and the shoulder blade (scapula) meet. |
Rotator Cuff
Tears
A typical experience is that of a patient in middle age who has tendentious or bursitis, then lifts a load or suffers an injury that tears the rotator cuff. Because rotator cuff tendons have a very low blood supply, they do not repair themselves quickly and are very vulnerable to degeneration as we age. Degeneration can be sped up by repeating the same types of shoulder movements again and again. |
|
Definition
Meniscus – a small, horseshoe-shaped, mobile shock absorber between the bone ends inside the knee joint. |
Meniscus Tear
Tears in knee cartilage. There are two in each knee on either side of the knee |
