Neck Injuries

Neck injuries, called hyperextension/hyperflexion injuries, myofascial injuries, or cervical sprain or strain (generically, “whiplash”), is a common soft tissue injury that occurs in car accidents.

Whiplash injuries are most common in people who were in a collision in which the car they were riding in was rear ended by another vehicle, but they can occur in any car accident, sporting accident, or other injury where a person’s head is rapidly forced back and forth. (In fact, the first diagnosed injury caused by the same mechanism was ‘railway spine’—an injury that became common in 19th century train wrecks.)

Symptoms

Whiplash injuries can take hours, even days to begin to show symptoms. This delayed onset, along with the fact that whiplash injuries show up poorly if at all on typical x-ray radiography and often require a CT or MRI scan to properly image, make them somewhat difficult to diagnose. Symptoms of whiplash include:

• Headaches.
• Pain in the neck, shoulders, arms, or hands.
• Reduced range of motion in the neck.
• Muscle spasms in the neck.
• Numbness, weakness, and slower reflexes in the arms and hands.
• Pain and stiffness in the upper and lower back.
• Dizziness, blurred vision, or unusual sensations in the face.
• Pain swallowing, or pain in the jaw.
• Difficulty concentrating.
• Feeling tired or irritable.

Whiplash injuries can also be accompanied by other injuries such as a herniated disc or spinal injury, so it is important to be examined by a doctor if you suspect you have suffered a whiplash neck injury, even if the symptoms seem to clear up within a few days. In some cases, however, pain can develop chronically, and may not go away for some time, if ever.

Treatment

Treatment for whiplash injuries is typically limited to stretching and movement regiments, limiting a patient to light activity, and prescribing pain medication and muscle relaxants. In some of the more severe cases steroid injections may be used to alleviate pain from a pinched nerve in the neck. It is very rare to require surgery to treat whiplash, however some accompanying medical issues such as a herniated disc may require surgery to correct.

The Green Law Group: Neck Injury Specialists

Because of the difficulties involved in taking diagnostic images of soft tissue neck injuries, the diagnosis of a whiplash injury carries a certain amount of stigma that can make it more difficult for an attorney to pursue a claim in court. The combined medical experience of the Green Law Group can be highly advantageous to you in seeking compensation for your soft tissue neck injury. Please don’t hesitate to speak with a member of our expert legal team, by telephone at (888) 264-3780 or online by filling out the contact form on this page to discuss your potential case and how we can work to get you the compensation you deserve for your injury.