Whiplash: The Symptoms You Need to Know

Whiplash is an injury that occurs when your body is suddenly forced backward and

forward. Here are the symptoms everyone in Parsippany needs to know.

Bottom Line:

Whiplash is an injury that occurs when your body is suddenly forced backward and forward.

It's the most common injury that happens during an automobile accident, and it's one of the leading

causes of chronic neck and back pain.

While a fender bender may not seem like a big deal, new research has shown that even small accidents

can result in significant injuries.

Why it Matters:

The violent forces that occur during an auto accident can cause damage to your spinal discs, ligaments,

tendons, and bones - even at "low" speeds.

Most of these injuries happen because your head is whipped backward and forward very quickly. This

rapid motion often results in torn ligaments and injured discs.

Symptoms such as neck pain, back pain, headaches, confusion, and even depression may indicate that

you've suffered a whiplash injury.

You may not immediately notice any immediate pain because of an adrenaline spike at the time of the

accident. For many people, these symptoms develop over hours or even a few days and go unnoticed

until the initial shock of the car accident has worn off.

To recap…

 Whiplash is an acceleration-deceleration injury that can affect your ligaments, spinal discs,

muscles, and joints.

 Symptoms of whiplash may include neck or back pain, headaches, radiating pain, confusion, and

difficulty sleeping.

 There is often a period of little to no pain before the symptoms of whiplash injuries worsen.

Next Steps:

It's smart to get a complete evaluation after an auto accident to minimize your risk of long-term pain.

Getting the right care at the right time can make a big difference in your ability to heal quickly.

Remember, even small accidents can cause injuries, so if you've been involved in an auto accident, be

sure to reach out to our office as soon as possible so we can help you get on the road to relief!

Science Source(s):

Biomechanics of Whiplash Injury. Chinese Journal of Traumatology. 2009.

Low Back Pain Becomes Chronic More Often Than Previously Thought

By Dr. David I. Graber
One-third of people with acute low back pain becomes chronic according to a new study out this week in JAMA. Previous recommendations and clinical guidelines have stated the natural course of most episodes of low back pain (LBP) to be a self-limiting condition lasting 30-90 days. The current study by Stevens, et al. questions this.

Among their findings is that the overall transition to chronic LBP was 32%. These results indicate that the transition from acute to chronic LBP is much greater than historically appreciated. Chronic low back pain is more difficult to treat and is more costly to manage.

They further found that approximately 60% of the patients who developed chronic LBP at six months were in the low-risk and medium-risk groups. The severity of an episode of back pain and the risk factors present isn’t very predictive of it becoming chronic.

Several factors were associated with increased odds of developing chronic LBP. These were:

• Higher baseline disability as assessed by the Oswestry Disability Index
• Having health insurance (e.g., Medicaid)
• Higher body mass index (e.g., obesity)
• Smoking
• Having back and leg pain
• Psychological co-morbidities (e.g., diagnosed depression/anxiety)
• Non-concordant care – care that does not follow clinical guidelines  

This study adds support to the clinical philosophy of treating and managing patients with low back pain episodes, rather than letting the condition “heal on its own.”

Stevans JM, Delitto A, Khoja SS, et al. Risk Factors Associated With Transition From Acute to Chronic Low Back Pain in US Patients Seeking Primary Care. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(2):e2037371. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.37371

Disclaimer

Material on this blog is provided for informational purposes only. It is general information that may not apply to you as an individual, and is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical care or advice.



Reading this blog should not  be construed to mean that you and I have a patient-physician relationship. 

The inclusion of any link does not imply my endorsement of the linked site or its affiliates, 

NEVER DISREGARD MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL CARE BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON OR ACCESSED THROUGH THIS WEB SITE.

Overusing Smartphones Isn’t Very Smart

Smartphone use has skyrocketed over the past decade. Combining multiple functions that include voice calling, text messaging, internet browsing, accessing email, global positioning system (GPS) navigation, desktop synchronization, capturing high-quality photos, and third party applications (apps), they have become essential to the modern lifestyle for most people.

This has not come without a cost, physically and psychologically. There are a number of conditions that are caused or aggravated by excessive smartphone use. In addition to the general terms of “smartphone addiction” or “iPhoneitis”, below is a list of specific conditions related to smartphone use:

Text Neck or iPosture:  American adults spend an average more than 3.5 hours on their smartphones every day, meaning they may be looking down or slouching for long periods of time. This contributes to a flexion posture of the cervical spine, reduces the craniovertebral angle, and increases scapular dyskinesis. [1]  [2]Smartphone overuse in office workers significantly increases the chance of neck pain by 6 times.  [3]

Text Claw: Repetitive strain injury is caused by the constant bending and small repetitive movements of the thumb against the screen. Sometimes this can lead to tendonitis.[4]

Cell Phone Elbow: Cubital tunnel syndrome - compression of the ulnar nerve. Describes tingling or numbness in ring and pinky fingers after bending the elbow for long periods of time.[5]

Computer Vision Syndrome: Eye problems caused by too much computer use. Research shows that between 50% and 90% of people who work at a computer screen have at least some symptoms.[6] These include eye strain or irritation, blurred or double vision, headache and neck pain.

Nomophobia: A psychological condition when people have a fear of being detached from mobile phone connectivity.[7]

Phantom Pocket Vibration or Ringing Syndrome: When people think their mobile phone is ringing or vibrating when it's not. Studies have found the incidence of people experiencing these physical hallucinations as between 50 -95% .[8]

Our office has been able to help with most of these conditions. Please contact us to discuss how we may be able to help you, your family, friends, or co-workers.

  

---

[1] Ashiyat K. Akodu, Sunday R. Akinbo, Queen O. Young, Correlation among smartphone addiction, craniovertebral angle, scapular dyskinesis, and selected anthropometric variables in physiotherapy undergraduates, Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, Volume 13, Issue 6, 2018, Pages 528-534, ISSN 1658-3612,

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtumed.2018.09.001.

[2] Öğrenci, A., Koban, O., Yaman, O., Dalbayrak, S., & Yılmaz, M. (2018). The Effect of Technological Devices on Cervical Lordosis. Open access Macedonian journal of medical sciences, 6(3), 467–471. https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2018.107

[3] Derakhshanrad N, Yekaninejad MS, Mehrdad R, Saberi H. Neck pain associated with smartphone overuse: cross-sectional report of a cohort study among office workers. Eur Spine J. 2020 Oct 27. doi: 10.1007/s00586-020-06640-z.

[4] https://www.mdedge.com/familymedicine/article/64202/pain/texting-tendinitis-teenager?sso=true

[5] Michael Darowish, Jeffrey N Lawton, and Peter J Evans. Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine, May 2009; 76(5):306-308 doi:10.3949/ccjm.76a.08090

[6] Dessie, A., Adane, F., Nega, A., Wami, S. D., & Chercos, D. H. (2018). Computer Vision Syndrome and Associated Factors among Computer Users in Debre Tabor Town, Northwest Ethiopia. Journal of environmental and public health, 2018, 4107590. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/4107590

[7] Bhattacharya, S., Bashar, M. A., Srivastava, A., & Singh, A. (2019). NOMOPHOBIA: NO MObile PHone PhoBIA. Journal of family medicine and primary care, 8(4), 1297–1300. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_71_19

[8] Mangot, A. G., Murthy, V. S., Kshirsagar, S. V., Deshmukh, A. H., & Tembe, D. V. (2018). Prevalence and Pattern of Phantom Ringing and Phantom Vibration among Medical Interns and their Relationship with Smartphone Use and Perceived Stress. Indian journal of psychological medicine, 40(5), 440–445. https://doi.org/10.4103/IJPSYM.IJPSYM_141_18

Disclaimer

Material on this blog is provided for informational purposes only. It is general information that may not apply to you as an individual, and is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical care or advice.

Reading this blog should not  be construed to mean that you and I have a patient-physician relationship. 

The inclusion of any link does not imply my endorsement of the linked site or its affiliates, 

NEVER DISREGARD MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL CARE BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON OR ACCESSED THROUGH THIS WEB SITE.

Office Closed Monday, Safe Snow Shoveling

Winter is coming today & Monday, and it's bringing real snow (not Jon Snow)! Very heavy snow is predicted for Monday, so we are cancelling hours for Monday, February 1st and will have hours all day Tuesday, 10 am -1 pm, 3-6 pm. Feel free to call and schedule.

In the meantime, to protect your back here is a quick video on good snow shoveling technique:

https://fb.watch/3mImYnI0YK/

ANJC Snow Shoveling

Be safe. Be well.

Sincerely,

Dr. David Graber

Disclaimer

Material on this blog is provided for informational purposes only. It is general information that may not apply to you as an individual, and is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical care or advice.



Reading this blog should not  be construed to mean that you and I have a patient-physician relationship. 

The inclusion of any link does not imply my endorsement of the linked site or its affiliates, 

NEVER DISREGARD MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL CARE BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON OR ACCESSED THROUGH THIS WEB SITE.

Chronic Back Pain!

Alpha Stock Images – http://alphastockimages.com/

One in 4 Americans suffers from back pain at any given time. For many, it's an everyday companion. In addition to causing suffering and physical disability, researchers have found that chronic back pain also produces detrimental changes in the brain.

People with chronic low back pain (cLBP), over 12 weeks,  show a greater brain age over their chronological age. They also show thinning of the brain or cortical area. What effects this has on their lives is still being studied. 

These brain changes are mostly reversible with proper treatment! The combination of chiropractic adjustments and exercise has been shown to effectively lessen and manage chronic back pain. This reduces pain, increases function, and helps your nervous system heal.

Clark, B.C., Goss, D.A., Walkowski, S. et al. Neurophysiologic effects of spinal manipulation in patients with chronic low back pain. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 12, 170 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2474-12-170

Seminowicz DA, et al.  Effective treatment of chronic low back pain in humans reverses abnormal brain anatomy and function. J Neurosci. 2011 May 18;31(20):7540-50. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5280-10.2011. PMID: 21593339; PMCID: PMC6622603.

Tan, W., et al. (2020). Spinal Manipulative Therapy Alters Brain Activity in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Longitudinal Brain fMRI Study. Frontiers in integrative neuroscience, 14, 534595. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2020.534595

Yu Gary, etal. Accelerated brain aging in chronic low back pain. Brain Research,2021,147263,ISSN 0006-8993. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2020.147263

Disclaimer

Material on this blog is provided for informational purposes only. It is general information that may not apply to you as an individual, and is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical care or advice.



Reading this blog should not  be construed to mean that you and I have a patient-physician relationship. 

The inclusion of any link does not imply my endorsement of the linked site or its affiliates, 

NEVER DISREGARD MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL CARE BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON OR ACCESSED THROUGH THIS WEB SITE.

New Study Shows Antidepressants For Back Pain Don't Work

Antidepressants are widely used for the treatment of back pain, sciatica, and hip and knee osteoarthritis. A study out this week in the prestigious British Medical Journal showed that this isn’t a good idea.

Antidepressants are the 4^th largest prescription medicine in the United States. Common brands include Pristiq, Cymbalta, Fetzima, Effexor, Elavil, Pamelor, Zoloft, Welbutrin, and Prozac. Used primarily for mood and sleep disorders, they are often prescribed for relief of back pain symptoms. About 1 in 4 Americans suffer from low back pain in any 3 month period, making it the most common type of pain.

The investigators looked at 33 studies of over 5000 patients to see how well antidepressants lowered pain levels and disability for several conditions after 3 months of use. They found that there was no benefit for back pain. There may be a slight benefit for those suffering from osteoarthritis or sciatica (pain going down the leg). These medications did show few serious side or adverse effects.

The safest and most effective solutions for chronic back pain, sciatica, and many forms of osteoarthritis are non-drug ones. Chiropractic care, exercise, and deflame nutrition programs that we offer in our office help many people suffering from these conditions.

Reference: Ferreira Giovanni E, McLachlan Andrew J, Lin Chung-Wei Christine, Zadro Joshua R, Abdel-Shaheed Christina, O’Keeffe Mary et al. Efficacy and safety of antidepressants for the treatment of back pain and osteoarthritis: systematic review and meta-analysis BMJ 2021; 372 :m4825

https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.m4825.full

Disclaimer

Material on this blog is provided for informational purposes only. It is general information that may not apply to you as an individual, and is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical care or advice.


Reading this blog should not be construed to mean that you and I have a patient-physician relationship. 

The inclusion of any link does not imply my endorsement of the linked site or its affiliates, 

NEVER DISREGARD MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL CARE BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON OR ACCESSED THROUGH THIS WEB SITE.

New Study Finds One Simple Exercise Helps Restore The Normal Neck Curve and Relieve Neck Pain

A study published last year found that this one exercise helps improve the curve in one's neck.

The modified cervical and shoulder retraction exercise is done in 2 steps:

1.  1.  Raise your head up and push the chin backward simultaneously within the pain-free range, then look up slightly (A). This should take about 3 seconds.

2.    2. Keep your head upright and pull back the shoulders and head within the pain-free range (B). This is held for 10 seconds.

                             
The exercise was done in the study at least 10 times per day, for 1 -12 months. 

For many people, this is a great exercise to couple with chiropractic adjustments to help correct your neck's normal movement and posture. 

Lee MY, Jeon H, Choi JS, Park Y, Ryu JS. Efficacy of Modified Cervical and Shoulder Retraction Exercise in Patients With Loss of Cervical Lordosis and Neck Pain. Ann Rehabil Med. 2020;44(3):210-217. doi:10.5535/arm.19117

Disclaimer

Material on this blog is provided for informational purposes only. It is general information that may not apply to you as an individual, and is not a substitute for your own doctor’s medical care or advice.



Reading this blog should not  be construed to mean that you and I have a patient-physician relationship. 

The inclusion of any link does not imply my endorsement of the linked site or its affiliates, 

NEVER DISREGARD MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL CARE BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON OR ACCESSED THROUGH THIS WEB SITE.