Can Whiplash Hurt Your Shoulder?
Clear Lake Area Chiropractor Comments: It’s probably more common than you think. Whiplash injuries, especially serious ones, are notorious for causing pain and disability beyond the neck. Whiplash is considered a full body disorder and symptoms can range from pain to dizziness, headache and fatigue. Depending on the type of collision and restraints, other body parts may be injured as well. One study looked at shoulder complaints in individuals who had suffered a whiplash type of trauma. Out of 220 patients with whiplash, 26% had shoulder symptoms and 5% had what is known as an impingement syndrome.
Referred pain from the neck and nerve injury to the muscles that stabilize the shoulder can give rise to an impingement syndrome. Also, direct trauma from the pressure supplied by a seatbelt during a frontal impact can cause fracturing of cartilage and sprain of the surrounding ligaments. The pointy top of the shoulder is the acromium and some impingements (binding and compression) can affect the tendons of the rotator cuff or other soft tissues just under this bone. Sometimes a bursa (fluid filled sac) can swell during the night causing pain.
Because most patients with whiplash who have shoulder pain are thought to have referred pain from the neck, an impingement syndrome may be overlooked. This can delay treatment, resulting in prolonged disability, pain, and chronicity.
An MRI may be needed to fully diagnose the problem and confirm the lesion. Sometimes the labrum, cartilage surrounding the bone, can break away causing significant pain. There may be inflammation surrounding the different tendons as they are caught between the shoulder bone and the soft tissues. Most shoulder injuries can be conservatively treated and rarely require surgery.
Chiropractors are trained to differentiate between neck and shoulder problems and provide specific treatments to each area. Sometimes, an adjustment may be needed to align the shoulder joint or neck. In other cases the shoulder can be helped by specific exercises for the rotator cuff muscles. The important part of this issue is first getting the problem properly diagnosed. If you don’t know what is causing the pain, it is nearly impossible to have a specific, effective solution.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. If you are experiencing neck pain in Houston you can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
The Many “Faces” of Whiplash
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Clear Lake City Chiropractor comments: Motor vehicle collisions (MVC), usually result in injuries to the neck and upper back. However, there are often other complaints that can occur immediately or after a delayed time frame. The mechanism of injury or, “how did the accident happen?” is very important to discuss in detail. For example, a low speed crash such as 5-10 mph may not result in much damage to the car. However when this occurs, the contents inside the car are jostled and thrown about more than if there had been car damage. This is because the impact was too slow to dent or crush the metal and the energy of the crash was not absorbed but rather, transferred to the contents inside the car – that is, the passengers.
Another cause might be a roll over accident. If a person is suspended upside down in the vehicle, injury can occur from the seat belt, from falling from the seat upon releasing the seat belt, cuts or 
scrapes from broken glass, and so on. Many people involved in MVC’s are initially in “shock” and may not realize they are hurt until hours or days later. Upon rising the next morning, a significant increase in pain intensity often prompts the person to seek emergency room care where medications are usually prescribed and a “wait and watch” recommendation is given. Within the initial several days to a week, gradual increases of pain and other symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, “foggy thinking,” and loss of appetite due to the high pain intensity can occur, and the person may then visit a chiropractic clinic, as the “waiting and watching” approach just doesn’t make sense.
The initial examination findings often reveal significant muscle spasms and pinching of the nerves in the upper part of the neck, resulting in headaches. Patients may have difficulty describing their complaints including problems communicating with others such as, “I just can’t find the words I want to use.” This lack of mental clarity is often caused by a concussion and can last weeks to months. Some patients do well and may feel 50-75% better after 3-6 weeks of chiropractic treatment with respect to neck pain and headache intensity and frequency but of course, this varies from patient to patient. During this time, exercises are usually given to help stretch the tight muscles and strengthen the weak muscles in the neck and upper back region. Temporary work restrictions may be required, especially if the patient had not been able to work prior to seeking chiropractic treatment. A quick return to work is usually very important.
Hence, a “wait and watch” approach usually does not work very well. In addition, the use of medications may prohibit being able to drive a car or adequately function at work. Certain medications can also affect a person’s ability to responsibly manage their children. It can be very confusing for many people when trying to decide from whom they should seek treatment after a whiplash injury. The primary goal of the chiropractic physician is to achieve a reduction in symptoms and return the patient to a productive, functional lifestyle as quickly as possible. We sincerely appreciate the trust that our patient’s place in us when choosing our clinic to treat their problems associated with motor vehicle accidents and whiplash.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. If you’ve suffered whiplash in a car accident, you can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
Whiplash and Treatment Delay: Does It Matter?
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Clear Lake Doctor of Chiropractic comments: When a person is involved in a car accident, the inevitable question comes up: should I see a doctor? In most cases the answer is yes. But why is this important?
A collision between two vehicles imparts a considerable amount of force on the body and spine. Even in low speed 
collisions, the forces add up to several times the force of gravity. So what does this mean? It means your body generally cannot resist such large forces without being injured. These injuries may be minor, such as a muscle strain or more substantial, involving stretching of the disks and ligaments of the spine.
Will these injuries always cause pain right after the collision? Only if there is severe damage to tissues will you experience immediate pain after a collision. In fact, having instant severe pain is a good indicator that you suffered a severe trauma. But most low speed collisions do not produce this type of instantaneous and intense pain. Instead, the person may feel “shaken up” or a little stiff. Unfortunately many patients interpret this stiffness as nothing more than a simple muscle strain and do not seek medical or chiropractic attention. Up to two weeks can go by before you start to feel the effects of a whiplash injury. This is why it is important to see a doctor immediately to see if things are truly ok following an accident.
Only a doctor can examine your spine, pressing on different structures and seeing if your movements are fluid, pain-free and symmetrical. You will find it difficult to do this type of examination on yourself. In addition, x-rays may be needed to see the posture and alignment of your cervical spine. If you had radiating pain or symptoms of a brain injury, then an MRI may also be needed to see the soft tissues that x-rays cannot detect.
Without these types of important examinations it is hard to say if you’ve been injured significantly following an accident. Treatment delay, if you have been injured, will not help to get you back to health quickly. In fact, if you limited your activities and neck movements, this could impair your function down the road. Simply taking pain medications to restore the alignment of your spine will not be enough.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
