Have you ever hurt your neck?
What about your jaw, upper back or low back?
These are just some of the areas that may be involved in a whiplash injury.
These are just some of the areas that may be involved in a whiplash injury.
I have only experienced mild whiplash myself (knock on wood!) after falling off of horses or after jarring my neck doing things like playing volleyball or slipping on ice, but others experience whiplash injuries that can be much more limiting to their daily life and can take a while to recover from. In many cases, people can recover from a whiplash injury within 6 weeks, but in other cases, the pain and limitation can stick around for much longer.
Persistent symptoms after a whiplash injury
Headaches and neck pain are some of the most common symptoms that stick around after a whiplash injury. A systematic review of several studies looked at how often these issues occur and it concluded that- within 7 days of the injury- neck pain happens 84% of the time and headaches happen 60% of the time. After 12 months 38% of people still had neck pain and 38% of people still had headaches (1).
!!! Sorry, say that again? Pain that continues to exist a year after the injury for more than a third of the people who get a whiplash injury?!
This is unfortunately true. And pain like this that exists after tissues are healed can be quite troublesome for people!
People can find that their neck gets flared up at the slightest provocation, such as reaching out to place a dinner plate at the table. Tasks like lifting things overhead or looking down for long periods of time (like when reading or gardening) can become difficult. It can become quite frustrating for some, and for others, they become resigned to the fact that they can no longer do the things that they had enjoyed doing without worrying about pain.
People can find that their neck gets flared up at the slightest provocation, such as reaching out to place a dinner plate at the table. Tasks like lifting things overhead or looking down for long periods of time (like when reading or gardening) can become difficult. It can become quite frustrating for some, and for others, they become resigned to the fact that they can no longer do the things that they had enjoyed doing without worrying about pain.
So now what?
At this point, it is important that we not only consider the tissues involved in the area, but also the nervous system that provides the building blocks for our pain system. Sometimes our pain system becomes sensitive in the area that was injured, and it’s threshold of what causes pain becomes lower. Therefore, it doesn’t take as much to cause pain in the area.
And guess what else?
There are other additional factors that can influence our pain. Increased stress, anxiety, depression, presence of bowel disorders or autoimmune conditions are just some of the things that also cause our pain systems to become more sensitive. Therefore it is important to consider these things during your recovery.
And guess what else?
There are other additional factors that can influence our pain. Increased stress, anxiety, depression, presence of bowel disorders or autoimmune conditions are just some of the things that also cause our pain systems to become more sensitive. Therefore it is important to consider these things during your recovery.
So what can a person do about ongoing pain?
Learning about pain and healing of tissues is the first step. Sometimes understanding the pain system and how it works can help a person understand when pain means that we have to stop doing what we are doing, or if we are safe to gently challenge our pain to help ourselves to recover.
Pain can also be influenced by hands on treatment and exercises that address our tissue mobility and strength or conditioning. Pain can also be reduced by making a plan to return to your life activities as appropriate, and your physical therapist can work with you to troubleshoot movements or practices that may be causing pain.
And if there is something else with your life or your health that may be contributing to your pain, we as physiotherapists can guide you in the direction of other health care providers who can help so that we can take an effective team approach to your recovery.
Pain can also be influenced by hands on treatment and exercises that address our tissue mobility and strength or conditioning. Pain can also be reduced by making a plan to return to your life activities as appropriate, and your physical therapist can work with you to troubleshoot movements or practices that may be causing pain.
And if there is something else with your life or your health that may be contributing to your pain, we as physiotherapists can guide you in the direction of other health care providers who can help so that we can take an effective team approach to your recovery.
So if you are having issues with the pain or discomfort that you are experiencing after a whiplash injury distracting or interfering with your life, a chat with a physiotherapist may help.
Yours in health,
~ Kristyn Froc, Physiotherapist
~ Kristyn Froc, Physiotherapist
References:
1. Al-Khazali, H. M., Ashina, H., Iljazi, A., Lipton, R. B., Ashina, M., Ashina, S., & Schytz, H. W. (2020). Neck pain and headache after whiplash injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Pain, 161(5), 880–888. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001805
1. Al-Khazali, H. M., Ashina, H., Iljazi, A., Lipton, R. B., Ashina, M., Ashina, S., & Schytz, H. W. (2020). Neck pain and headache after whiplash injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Pain, 161(5), 880–888. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001805
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