Continued Neck And Back Pain After Whiplash Injury

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Question:

Dear TAI Experts:

I was in an accident 3 months ago and suffered whiplash, but still am having pain in my shoulders, back, and the back of my neck. I feel weak and fatigued all the time. I do therapy twice a week and chiropractor twice, and it all seemed to be helping, but I don’t feel any better. What else can I do to help with the pain? Sometimes it’s unbearable. I’m on muscle relaxers but even they don’t seem to be cutting it. I only had x-rays done, no MRI or CT. They told me I just overstretched everything. Can you give me some better advice on what to do please.

Answer:

I am sorry to hear about your accident. Without doing an examination I am not able to comment on your specific condition, but I can give you general information to assist you. The extent of the injury during a car accident depends on several factors, such as the vehicle size and speed, the drive/passenger’s position, fitness level and age, and the type of collision. Many tissues can be injured with whiplash disorders, including bones, muscles, joints, and nerves. An important aspect of physical therapy is to create the best environment for the injured tissue to heal by promoting proper posture, mobility in your spine, and balanced flexibility and strength in your muscles. I would recommend that you discuss your concerns with the health care professional that you are currently seeing in order to design the best plan of care to address your condition.

Victor Prati PT, DPT