What category of back pain does whiplash fall into?

Most cases of whiplash injury occur as the result of rear-end vehicle collisions at speeds of less than 14 miles per hour. Patients present with neck pain and stiffness, occipital headache, thoracic back pain and/or lumbar back pain and upper-limb pain and paraesthesia.

What category of back pain is whiplash?

Whiplash is defined as a sudden extension (backward movement of the neck) and flexion (forward movement of the neck) of the cervical spine. This type of trauma is also referred to as a cervical acceleration-deceleration (CAD) injury.

Is lower back pain whiplash?

Whiplash can also be a lower back injury (lumbar spine) caused by a sharp, sudden, movement of the trunk either forward, backward, or to the side. This force can injure muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the lower back.

What part of the spine is affected by whiplash?

Whiplash is a collective term used to describe the injuries to the cervical spine (neck). This condition often results from an automobile collision, which suddenly forces the head and neck to whip back and forth (hyperflexion/hyperextension). Symptoms may appear as quickly as two hours following injury.

Does whiplash show up on xray?

How is a whiplash diagnosed? Along with a complete medical history and physical exam, tests for whiplash may include the following. Many whiplash injuries include damage to soft tissue that can't be seen on X-rays: X-ray.

Spine Whiplash - Spinal Injuries in Accidents

What muscles are most affected by whiplash?

Shoulder muscles are often affected by whiplash too. You may feel pain between shoulder blades or along the shoulder muscles, depending on the accident. Finally, back muscles can be affected as well. Even muscles in the low back could tense up as a result of the auto accident.

What does lower back whiplash feel like?

What are the symptoms of whiplash of the lower back? The most common symptoms are pain, swelling and stiffness of the lower back. You may find the area very tender to touch and muscle spasm may surround the injury making movement more difficult and painful.

What are the different types of back pain?

How long does whiplash last in back?

If you have suffered whiplash due to a minor road accident, you may experience a couple of days of neck and upper back pain. This can usually be treated by taking painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Symptoms will typically ease off within 2-3 weeks.

Is whiplash a medical diagnosis?

The diagnosis of whiplash remains clinical. The mechanism of injury must be elicited. The clinical syndrome of whiplash and WAD includes neck pain or stiffness, arm pain and paresthesias, temporomandibular dysfunction, headache, visual disturbances, memory and concentration problems, and psychological distress.

Is whiplash biological pain?

This wide variation in symptoms after relatively minor injuries has led some to suggest that, in many cases, whiplash is not so much a real physiologic injury, but that symptoms are more created as a result of potential economic gain. Many clinical studies have investigated this issue.

How do you treat whiplash back pain?

Can a chiropractor help with whiplash?

Soft tissue therapies: Since whiplash involves soft tissue injury, chiropractors can also include soft tissue therapies in the treatment plan. The treatment aims to restore proper muscle function by applying pressure or stretching the muscles that have excessive tension.

What does whiplash look like on MRI?

While whiplash does not have a definitive appearance in MRIs, they are useful for diagnosis. First, MRIs can rule out things like fractures, slipped discs, or other severe injuries that may cause pain, allowing doctors to determine whiplash as the primary injury to treat.

What happens if whiplash goes untreated?

Whiplash is no different. Like most other injuries, serious side effects can occur when left untreated: Stiffness and loss of motion. As well as the chronic neck pain and stiffness, untreated whiplash can even lead to degenerative disc disease and vertebrae misalignment.

What type of back pain is serious?

Back pain accompanied by sensations of numbness, tingling or weakness could be a sign of nerve irritation or damage. This is especially true if the pain persists after taking over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. Nerve pain is serious and can result in permanent damage or disability if left untreated.

What is inflammatory back pain?

Inflammatory back pain (IBP) is a condition of pain localized to the axial spine and sacroiliac joints that is chronic and is differentiated from mechanical back pain by a set of key diagnostic features.

What are the three most common types of back injury?

Can whiplash cause herniated disc?

Whiplash resulting from an automobile accident is one of the most common injuries in a rear-end collision. Whiplash can cause damage to discs in the spinal column – including a herniated disc, bulging disc, or pinched nerve.

Can a physiotherapist diagnose whiplash?

Physiotherapy treatment for a whiplash injury.

Physiotherapy treatment is extremely important in the treatment of a whiplash injury. Initially, your physiotherapist will diagnose your injury and determine its severity.

Can whiplash symptoms get worse over time?

When that initial injury occurs, there are physical changes to the cervical spine and cervicocranial junction (where the base of the skull meets the neck). If those changes are not corrected through proper pain management treatment, the discomfort will persist and can recur or get worse over time.

How long does it take for muscles to heal after whiplash?

Whiplash symptoms such as neck pain and stiffness usually start improving a few days to one week after you get hurt. Most people fully recover within a month. Check in with your doctor if pain or other symptoms that are long-lasting after an injury or causing you any concern.

How do you know if whiplash is serious?

Can whiplash cause problems years later?

Some cases of whiplash resolve within a few weeks or months, especially if the victim receives adequate medical treatment soon after the injury. But in other cases, the pain and restriction of a whiplash injury can go on for years — or even a lifetime.

Can whiplash cause neurological problems?

Whiplash can cause neurological problems. Basically, there are two types of neurological problems. The first is direct nerve root encroachment or nerve root irritation from direct pressure like herniated discs. As shown in previous blogs regarding the Croft grade for whiplash injuries, this is a type IV and V injuries.