The car comes out of nowhere, and then, the impact of metal on metal.

It all seems so surreal. But it is all too real. You have just been in a car wreck and your life has been changed.

In this country every year accidents involving motor vehicles account for 3 MILLION deaths or injuries and the causes are all too familiar: alcohol, mechanical, road conditions and sleepiness. Many of these accidents leave behind permanent injuries in which the pain persists for a lifetime.

There is also an increased number of “marginal accidents” that impair, disable and generally bring pain to millions of Americans. Even if these “minor injuries” do not require hospitalization, they do require immediate care, and frequently repeated treatments of one kind or another.

Auto accidents can be described as either low-velocity (below 10 mph) or high-velocity (above 10 mph). In low-velocity accidents, the victim’s body is thrown backward and forward in a rapid progression of acceleration and deceleration. Since it is unusual at this speed for the victim to experience a second impact inside the vehicle, the injuries usually result from the rapid movement of the body during the crash. Common low-velocity injuries include muscle strain, seatbelt bruises, or traumatic brain injury (shaken brain syndrome). The onset of symptoms is often delayed with these injuries so that at the time of the accident the victim may not immediately realize an injury has occurred. Within 12 to 36 hours after the impact the victim will begin to recognize pain and stiffness of the injured areas.

High-velocity collisions normally result in more serious injury because the victim experiences a second impact, hitting an object in the vehicle such as the dashboard, steering wheel, or even the windshield. Common injuries include neck and shoulder pain, mid-back and rib pain, and low back and hip pain. Also auto accident victims can experience headaches and numbness, tingling or pain into the arms or legs. Oftentimes the pain is not felt until days after the accident.

Traumatic Cervical Syndrome (Whiplash)

Traumatic cervical syndrome, or whiplash as it is commonly refer to as, is one of the most common auto accident injuries.

Traumatic cervical syndrome, or whiplash, is one of the most common auto accident injuries. Whiplash happens when the neck is forced through a series of movements at a rate faster than the bones, muscles, and ligaments can
accommodate. The crash forces the head forward slightly, then backward violently, forward to recoil (though less forcefully) , and finally to a
neutral, stationary position. Injury to the neck occurs in both the backward movement, in which the neck is hyperextended, and in the
forward flexion, when the chin hits the chest. Types of injuries that might occur include torn muscles and ligaments, nerve inflammation,
and vertebral misalignment. Symptoms like swelling and/ or tenderness in the neck, sore throat and/ or loss of voice, trouble swallowing, jaw problems, shoulder and back pain, vomiting, and flashing lights in the visual field
are common with these injuries.

As with other minor accident injuries, a person suffering from whiplash may not realize the extent of injury for a few days. The victim will then notice pain during movement of the neck as well as loss of motion or stiffness when the
head is tipped back. Other symptoms of whiplash include light headedness or dizziness, difficulty concentrating, short-term memory loss, insomnia, painful tingling sensations, weakness in the muscles of the neck and shoulder, visual disturbances or blurred vision, and ringing in the ears.

It would not be surprising for the victim to also experience fatigue and irritability. The trauma of the event itself, added to pain and disability, creates stress that may linger even into the stages of treatment and recovery.

Start today toward a healthier tomorrow!