The “Problem With Whiplash”

Everyday hundreds of auto accidents occur and the occupants are injured. Fortunately, the majority of these injury victims do not suffer fatal injuries. That’s the good news. The bad news is, most of the occupants suffer injuries that they may not be aware of or are mistreated by other doctors.

The “Problem with Whiplash” is that very few people truly understand it.

Well meaning emergency room physicians, general medical doctors and even many chiropractors do not fully appreciate the extent of injury suffered by these patients. A recent survey found that a significant percentage of family practice and orthopedic physicians question the validity of whiplash. [i]

Worse yet, these doctors cannot prove to the insurance companies, lawyers and juries that the injuries are real. The end result is that whiplash victims are given short shrift in terms of poor documentation, inadequate treatment, and low compensation for their injuries.

The first thing to realize about whiplash type injuries is that they are real. The current medical literature is filled with objective research validating this type of injury. [ii] Further, the research indicates that injuries can occur at surprisingly slow speeds and sometimes even without much car damage. [iii]
Next, whiplash injuries can remain hidden for weeks, months, and even years before telltale symptoms emerge. [iv]

Another fact to realize about whiplash is that it is serious. Even minor accidents can cause significant changes in the delicate nerves, ligaments, muscles and discs of the neck. At the onset, the problems may seem minor, but given enough time without proper care, the spine will dysfunction. Eventually arthritis occurs and the end result is permanent neurologic damage and loss of overall health.

Worse than arthritis, many whiplash accidents can result in mild forms of brain injury known as “post concussion syndrome” or “traumatic brain injury”. This is more prevalent in side impact collisions, but can occur in rear or front-end accidents as well. These concussive injuries often result without hitting the head. Still other researchers have linked Alzheimer’s disease and chronic fibromyalgia with whiplash type injuries. Whiplash is indeed a serious health problem.

Whiplash must be treated. Contrary to what most insurance company reps will claim, these injuries do not simply go away on their own. But not all treatments work. Hard medical evidence suggests that certain types of treatment are far superior at treating this problem. [iv]

A study by Woodward, Cook, Gargan and Bannister [v] found 93% of the patients studied under chiropractic care for chronic whiplash injuries had improved. They further stated "...no conventional (medical) treatment has proven to be effective in these established chronic cases."

Without understanding these basic truths about whiplash, the general population is at the mercy of the insurance industry. The insurance companies know the facts and they spend millions of dollars each year to hide them. They use high-powered attorneys to fight claims and intimidate people.

If you have been injured in an auto accident it is important to remember whiplash is real, it can be serious and it must be treated properly. The key to successfully treating whiplash injuries is to find a medical provider who specializes in this area and that has a long track record helping accident victims recover from their injuries. The specialist must also be able to document your injuries precisely and communicate effectively with your attorney, the insurance company and in court if necessary.

=============================================================

References:

[i] Evans RW, Evans RJ, Sharp MJ. The physician survey on post concussion and whiplash syndromes. Headache. 1994;34:268-274.

[ii] Barnsley, Lord, Bogduk, Whiplash Injury Clinical Review, Pain 58, 1994, pp. 283-307

[iii] Koji Kaneoka, Koshiro Ono, Satoshi Inami and Koichiro Hayashi (99-04-15). "Motion analysis of cervical vertebrae during whiplash loading." Spine 24(8): 763-770

[iv] Smith J. (1993). "The Physics, Biomechanics and Statistics of Automobile Rear Impact Collisions." Trial Talk: 10-14.

[v] Woodward, Cook, Gargan and Bannister (1996). "Chiropractic treatment of chronic 'whiplash'." Injury 27(9): 643-5.