Dr. Snair has studied with the Spine Research Institute of San Diego learning proper examination and treatment of motor vehicle crash victims. It is very important in preparing a treatment plan that the doctor knows and understands such things as the mechanism of trauma, position of the patient, and the speed of the crash vehicles. This helps the doctor to better evaulate the extent of the injuries the victim may have incurred. In the event that the victim has sustained a permanent injury, Dr. Snair is able to give the patient a permanent impairment rating. This rating is based on the American Medical Association's "Guides To The Evaluation of Permanent Impairment".
Auto Injury Weakens The Neck
It's difficult to describe the violence of a collision, even one considered to be minor. Using live occupants in rear end crash tests, researchers have found head accelerations can easily reach 9 G's of force, or nine times the force of gravity. What this means is that the human head- which weighs about 10 lbs on average- suddenly weighs 90 lbs.
In its most simple form, whiplash is this: the occupant's torso is accelerated in one direction, while the head is going in the opposite direction. In between the head and the torso is the neck, and it's not surprising that most of the injury takes place in the ligaments that hold the vertebrae of the neck together.
Injuries that Result from Whiplash Trauma:
1. Brain Injury
Inability to concentrate
Short Term memory loss
Chronic Pain leading to depression
2. Cranial Nerve Injury
Blurred vision
Loss of smell, taste & hearing
3. Dizziness
Loss of sense of balance
4. Hormonal Problems
Injury to hypothalamus and pituitary gland
Symptoms include:
Weight Gain
Fatigue
Intolerance to cold
Slowness in cognition
Puffiness in the hands and face
Constipation
Drowsiness
Personality Changes
Loss of hair from eyebrows and scalp
Menstrual Disorders
TMJ Problems
Neck pain
Low back pain
You sohuld never assume that any condition is not related to the crash merely because it develops days, or even weeks later. Always report your new symptoms to your doctorso that he/she can make the proper assessment of your condition.
Treatment
Research has confirmed what Chiropractors have known for years: Chiropractic care is very effective in treating whiplash injuries. Chiropractic physicians specialize in disorders of the spine, so this should not come as a surprise. Most medical physicians manage whiplash prescribing medicine. True, that helps with the symptoms but it really does nothing to address the injury.
Whiplash injuries, because they involve soft tissues, can take several months or more to resolve. Depending on several factors that will evaluated by your chiropractor, the healing process can continue for over a year. During this time, it is important to ensure that normal alignment and motion of the spine is maintained, and this is one of the important functions of spinal alignments or manipulations. Without it the body may heal in a haphazard alignment, resulting in abnormal spinal biomechanics, and this can pave the way for chronic pain and acclerated spinal degeneration.
