Injuries

   Disc Injury/Herniation –

Disc bulges and herniations are conditions in which the outer edges of the discs, located between the vertebrae, are damaged. This causes the jelly-like center to bulge or be pushed out. This is a surprisingly common issue, and it is often, but not always, very painful. Many people who have this condition feel nothing at all. The quality and intensity of it, for those who experience pain, depends on the type and position of the herniation. If the damaged disc is irritating a surrounding nerve, shooting or stabbing pain along with weakness in the legs is often severe.

It is important that this issue is properly identified and promptly treated to avoid further damage. Dr Amy will thoroughly assess your back to determine the extent of the issue and the appropriate treatment to prevent worsening of the herniation and provide relief from the associated pain.

 

            Whiplash –

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A common auto injury, whiplash, occurs when the head and neck are whipped from back to front, similar to how a whip is cracked. The majority of car accidents are rear-end collisions with whiplash being a common result. Whiplash can also occur from other kinds of trauma, accidents, abuse, and falls. When the neck is whipped from back to front during a car accident, while playing contact sports such as football, or occasionally from an assault or other physical trauma, a number of things can happen to the spine and surrounding soft tissue. Whiplash describes the initial impact, but the results can include:

• Disc bulges and herniation

• Subluxations (misalignment of the vertebrae in the spine),

• Injured bones in the spine,

• Irritated and damaged nerves

• Pulled ligaments and muscles in the neck

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Whiplash injuries can range from mild to very severe. Injuries tend to be more significant when your headrest is positioned too low. If the impact was quite severe or the headrest was low, there is the possibility that bones are broken, or tissue is damaged. It is highly recommended that you see a chiropractor and receive a thorough examination and x-rays. Even if the impact seemed mild, you may have whiplash if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Neck pain

• Shoulder, upper back, and arm pain

• Headaches

• Blurred vision

• Pain when turning the head

• Inability to move or turn the head fully

• Dizziness

• Tiredness

• Numbness or tingling in the arms, hands, and fingers

• Ringing in the ears

• Difficulty sleeping

• Depression

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As you can see there are a wide range of symptoms and not all of them may be immediately traceable to whiplash. Even if you have been cleared by a doctor, your pain could still be related to whiplash, and you may need treatment to correct the problem. If you have recently been injured it's important to get your spine checked as soon as possible. The sooner that you start treating the issue the less chance you have of it developing into a long-term problem.