Whiplash Treatment in New Jersey
Whiplash, an injury resulting from a sudden force or movement stressing the neck and spine, is typically associated with car accidents, but a variety of incidents can cause it. Often, whiplash symptoms are temporary and manageable through proper care, but for some, it evolves into chronic pain lasting months or years.
At RWJBarnabas Health, our dedicated medical professionals recognize the complexity of a whiplash injury and the neck’s critical role in supporting more than 20 muscles involved in the head, neck and upper spine motion. We are experts in diagnosing and treating injuries of the neck and spine. Contact us today to assess or treat your neck injury.
What Is Whiplash?
Whiplash is an injury that occurs when your neck and upper spine are forced to move suddenly and unnaturally. This condition, often caused by abrupt movements in any direction, can lead to a variety of whiplash-associated disorders affecting bones, muscles, ligaments and nerves. It's taken very seriously by health care professionals and is often treated as an emergency because it can potentially be very dangerous.
The injury happens due to the law of inertia — like when you are in a car that suddenly stops or accelerates, and your body keeps moving. Your neck acts like a shock absorber to protect your brain from sudden movements, compressing or twisting to reduce the impact. However, when inertia makes your head and body move at different speeds, it can stretch or compress your neck too much. This can damage the muscles, ligaments and even the bones in your spine.
The severity of whiplash can vary from minor to very serious, sometimes even breaking neck vertebrae and risking damage to the spinal cord and nerves.
Who Is at Higher Risk for Whiplash?
Whiplash is a condition that does not discriminate by age, yet certain groups, particularly older adults and women, are more susceptible to its severe or prolonged impacts. For older adults over 65, the risk escalates due to the natural decline in muscle and bone strength with age, making them more vulnerable to all types of musculoskeletal injuries.
Whiplash Symptoms
After a whiplash injury, symptoms can appear right away or take a few days to emerge, so it is important to monitor one's condition closely after an incident that could lead to whiplash. These symptoms can include:
- Pain
- Muscle spasms
- Headaches
- Stiffness
- Anxiety
- Memory problems
The severity and onset of these symptoms vary based on the extent of the neck's hyperextension or compression during the injury.
What Causes Whiplash?
Whiplash is caused by a sudden change in movement speed or direction, leading to strain on the neck. Common causes include:
- Motor vehicle crashes. The most frequent source of whiplash due to the abrupt stop or collision that forces the head to jerk forward and then backward.
- Contact sports. Activities such as football, hockey and rugby involve rapid, forceful impacts that can cause the head and neck to move suddenly.
- Roller coasters. The quick, unpredictable motions experienced on roller coasters can also strain the neck.
- Slips and falls. Even simple accidents like slipping and falling can lead to whiplash if the head is suddenly jerked.
How Is Whiplash Diagnosed?
Whiplash is diagnosed through a process known as a diagnosis of exclusion. This approach involves a health care provider first ruling out more serious conditions that require immediate treatment or other possible causes of the symptoms. To accomplish this, a combination of methods is used, including:
- Diagnostic tests and imaging scans. These are crucial for excluding other issues. Common imaging tests used in diagnosing whiplash include X-rays, computed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.
- Physical and neurological examinations. Health care professionals perform these exams to assess the physical and neurological impact of the injury, checking for pain, range of motion and signs of nerve damage.
- Patient history. Health care professionals will ask about symptoms and specific events that could have led to the whiplash injury, focusing on incidents like car crashes, which are commonly associated with such injuries.
Whiplash Treatment
Whiplash treatment focuses on accelerating recovery to regain neck motion, using a mix of medications, therapy, and self-care to manage symptoms and support healing.
Treatment varies from immediate to long-term approaches, including:
- Medications. Over-the-counter pain relievers, anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, and, cautiously, opioids for severe pain, address various symptoms.
- Cold and heat applications. Cold packs initially followed by heat application promote healing by reducing inflammation and improving blood flow.
- Bracing. Braces can be used to temporarily stabilize the cervical spine.
- Exercise and physical therapy. Tailored exercises help strengthen the neck, improving function and easing discomfort.
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). This therapy uses low-level electrical currents to alleviate pain.
- Radiofrequency nerve ablation. Targets and diminishes nerve signals to reduce chronic pain.
- Spine surgery. Reserved for severe cases with structural damage to stabilize the spine and prevent further nerve harm.
Expert Care for Whiplash in New Jersey
If you're experiencing whiplash in New Jersey, RWJBarnabas Health is here for you. The state's largest academic health care system, we are renowned for our award-winning services and our team of highly skilled, board-certified medical specialists.
Do not underestimate the symptoms of whiplash. Trust RWJBarnabas Health for comprehensive and expert care for your whiplash injury. Contact us today.
