Visualize six ordinary people, all sitting in the same vehicle. Now imagine that this vehicle is struck squarely from the rear by another auto. While it may seem odd, it is highly probable that each of the vehicle’s occupants will be injured to quite different extents. Some may receive no injuries at all. Others may be severely injured. If a whiplash was purely a matter of “heads in acceleration,” then such differences in injuries would be difficult to explain. The natural question is to ask “Why so many different responses to the same forces?” A big part of the answer to this inquiry lies in the fact that certain people are more at risk than others.
There are a variety of factors that may make a person more at risk from the effects of a whiplash injury. The following list is but a brief outline of some of the more common reasons that generally increase one’s likelihood of being injured. After reviewing these factors, it will be quite clear why it is often said that “not two whiplashes are ever really identical.”
- Being a female (generally, have a weaker neck).
- Having a long neck (it can whip more than a short one).
- Having weak muscles in the neck (less support to prevent excessive whipping).
- Having a stiff neck (the less pliable, the easier the tissues tear).
- Having prior neck injuries (already weakened).
- Having the neck turned at the moment of impact (generally results in asymmetrical injuries causing most of the force to hit one side).
- Not having a functional head restraint in your vehicle (the head can then whip further back with the motion, thus doing more damage).
- Having multiple impacts to your vehicle (multiple opportunities for injury).
- Striking something within your vehicle (more opportunity for multiple injuries).
- Not getting early treatment (secondary problems often develop that complicate the recovery).
Symptoms
As stated, a whiplash injury can cause many symptoms. Some of these symptoms seem very obvious, while others are much more difficult to explain. The patient must keep the treating doctor aware of these symptoms so that appropriate diagnostic studies and treatment can be performed in a timely manner. The general rule is this:
When it comes to whiplash trauma, many symptoms are possible and no symptom is too strange to discuss with your Doctor of Chiropractic.
© Whiplash Basics – Are You More at Risk? from the booklet “Whiplash” by John M. Mooney, DC