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Neck Pain & Whiplash Injuries ::
Car
accidents, blows to the back in sports, and on-the-job injuries
can easily leave you with a whiplash injury. While symptoms
are often felt immediately, pain may be delayed for days,
months, or, in rare cases, even years. In fact, many people
wake up with neck pain without being aware of ever having
a head or neck injury. The most common symptom of whiplash
(affecting 62% to 92% of those injured) is neck pain, and
it usually begins between two hours and two days after the
accident. This is often the result of tightened muscles
that react to either muscle tears or excessive movement
of joints from ligament damage. The muscles tighten in an
effort to splint up and support the head, limiting the excessive
movement. While muscle relaxants and pain killers can relieve
some of the discomfort of these muscle spasms, these medications
will only cover up symptoms, failing to address the cause
of the problem.
An
estimated 66% to 70% of those suffering from whiplash complain
of headaches.The pain may be on one side or both, on- again/-off
again or constant, in one location or more diffuse. These
headaches, like neck pain, are often the result of tightened,
tensed muscles trying to keep the head stable and, like
tension headaches, they are often felt behind the eyes.
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