Diagnosing a Neck Sprain Caused by Whiplash
- Posted on: May 15 2022
If you have severe pain in your neck, you may have suffered a sprain. A neck sprain occurs when there is a tearing of ligaments holding the neck bones together. A neck sprain requires prompt attention by a physician having the experience and skills to diagnose and treat this serious condition.
Neck Sprain Caused by Sudden Impact or Blow
A neck sprain is commonly caused by a whiplash event, such as a car accident. There are many other causes of a neck sprain not commonly known.
Any impact or blow that causes the head to jerk forward or backward can cause a sprain in the neck. A neck sprain is caused by several whiplash-type incidents, impacts, or hard blows.
Any sudden force can stretch and tear the neck muscles and tendons, such as:
- Amateur and professional contact sports
- A hard slip and fall
- Carrying and dropping too much weight with force
- Pushing too much weight with force
- Twisting in a jerking motion
Symptoms of a Neck Sprain
Your pain will be hard to ignore if you have suffered a neck sprain due to a whiplash-type incident. Neck sprain symptoms may not arise until a day or two after the event. Pain and stiffness will worsen and eventually lead to the inability to move the neck.
Other symptoms of a neck sprain include:
- Headache in the back of the head
- Pain in shoulders or upper back
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Ringing in the ears
- Numbness in arms or hands
Evaluating Symptoms and Diagnosing a Neck Sprain
It is advised by Dr. Jason C. Tinley that you seek out medical help if you experience any of these symptoms after being involved in an incident involving a whiplash-type event. This is important for ruling out damage to the spinal cord.
Signs of spinal cord damage:
- Arm or leg weakness
- Difficulty standing or walking
- Bladder or bowel control issues
To diagnose the extent of your neck strain, Dr. Tinley will:
- Assess the details of the incident
- Conduct a thorough examination
- Perform X-rays, CT scans, and other diagnostic tests as needed
Avoid Exacerbating a Neck Sprain Due to Whiplash
You don’t have to live with the pain you are experiencing and must avoid worsening a neck strain. Get the diagnosis and treatment you need by contacting Dr. Jason C. Tinley at his Fort Worth, Texas, practice today to schedule a consultation.
Posted in: Neck Pain
