fbpx

My Doc said I’ve got a cervical sprain. What’s that?

My doctor indicated I have cervical sprain what does that mean?

Click here to check out our Great Reviews!

Cervical sprain, or sometimes called whiplash, is an injury to the neck often because of an automobile collision which causes forceful flexion or extension of the neck in a violent oscillation of the head forward and backward or backward and forward. Let’s break that down for you.

How does this happen?

What happens in a typical car accident is the body is violently propelled forward by the head, the neck is first snapped backward, and then like the cracking of a whip it is jerked forward again.  You end up with what is sometimes called a traumatic cervical syndrome or cervical strain, cervical being a medical term referring to the neck. An expert will call this injury a sprain or strain often when the patient has a headache with neck, shoulder, or arm pain which are classic complaints from this injury. This injury can be a rather mild muscle pulling or can be more severe including a disc herniation, fracture, nerve compression or even brain damage. These types of accidents produce injuries with a wide range of severity, and many can leave you in pain for a long time.

Attorney Joe Patton selected by NAOPIA as Top Ten Attorney

To understand this injury, you need to understand some of the structures involved in the neck. The neck includes muscles, ligaments, joints, vertebrae, nerves, blood vessels, discs, and other structures. In a soft tissue injury, the muscles fibers can rupture or tear. This tear may cause nerve impairment, muscle inflammation or hemorrhaging. The vertebrae are the small triangular like bones that make up the spinal column in the neck area. Chipping at the margins of that process or compaction can cause a compression injury or marginal fractures. Nerves are also running up and down that area, but the compression of a nerve or stretching of a nerve can cause a partial irritation, numbness, or even paralysis. A cervical neck strain is the most common result of an auto accident and varies widely in intensity ranging from minor damage to something more serious.

What Do I Need to Know

Symptoms that come from this cervical sprain/strain injury often become worse two or three days after the accident. This may be because of inflammatory reactions which may not surface until time has elapsed. However, in a situation where this injury has caused a fracture, rupture of the disk, or dislocation of part the spine, there will be immediate and severe pain. The pain usually involves both sides of the neck and sometimes radiates down into the shoulders or the upper back between the shoulders. The pain can also involve the upper arm or forearm. Depending on whether or not there’s a problem with the nerve root there may be what’s called radicular pain radiating outward from the neck to the shoulder and the arm. This may include other sensations or feelings of numbness or tingling. Headaches are a frequent complaint of this injury as are visual disturbances and vertigo. If you have a loss of memory, feeling faint, inability to concentrate, or other related intellectual deficits these may be indicators of a brain injury and may suggest the need for neuropsychological testing. Other symptoms of a traumatic brain injury include shortness of breath, difficulty in swallowing, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, irritability, fatigue, and depression.

What type of treatment is needed? Individuals react to pain in various ways. The medical provider will often suggest bed rest, support for the neck, and to allow for time to bring about healing. In many cases, the medical practitioner may recommend physical therapy or massage therapy depending upon an individual’s pain tolerance. Applying heat to the painful tissue is commonly employed since the heat encourages circulation of blood and has a positive effect on the muscles. Mobilization, or manual manipulation of the neck joints, on a table helps to increase the range of motion in the joints. Your physician may prescribe medication if your pain is severe. You can find additional medical information at this link.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/neck-pain/symptoms-causes/syc-20375581

What Are My Next Steps?

First, contact your regular doctor and get a consultation and examination. Your doctor can give you a definite diagnosis and plan for treatment. Ask your doctor about physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, and any other treatment options he would suggest.

If your injury was caused in an auto accident due to someone else’s negligence, call us right away (785-273-4330) and we will advise you of your rights.

Click here to check out our Great Reviews!

Share this post

Need Help?

Free Case Evaluation

Before you sign anything, get your case evaluated for free.