Auto Accident Information by Orange County, CA
Car Accident Injury Specialist, Dr Barry Marks, Chiropractor, Orange, CA 92868

Upper Back Pain from an Auto Accident?

This is a surprisingly common complaint, with an even more surprising root cause in most cases.

Does this sound familiar after your car accident?

You have pain in the upper back, more precisely in the shoulder blade area or on the top of the “wing bone” area. You rub it, you move your shoulder around, yet still it hurts. You may have even gone to a massage therapist or physical therapist and had them massage and exercise your upper back, but still the upper back pain after your auto accident lingers. It’s hard to get comfortable. You have difficulty sitting at a desk, using a computer, talking on the phone or driving without the incessant pain.

Do you ever think,
“If only someone could just dig their fingers in deep enough to release that tension or knot in there you’d be fine…”

Right now, I want you to do a simple test. I call it the “slump” test, because I have no idea what the real name of it is or if it is named, but this simple 5-second test will pinpoint your problem.

While sitting, I want you to slump your shoulders and body forward and round your upper back. Now, while you are slumped forward, tilt your head up and try to look towards the ceiling. Slump forward again and lift your head up towards the left and then to the right.

If you felt shoulder blade or upper back pain, then your upper back problem is actually coming from your neck! Specifically, the facet or zygaophyseal joints. This is actually the most common injury in a motor vehicle collision; a sprain and damage of the facet joint. It accounts for a majority of chronic neck and upper back pain cases after an accident.

If your back did not hurt when you were slumped over and tilted your head back, then try this test.
Sit and retract your shoulder blades (try to squeeze them together behind you). Now try shrugging your left shoulder up and back then repeat on the right.

Did any of these movements cause shoulder blade pain or upper back pain? If so, then you are suffering from muscular strain in the upper back area.

These are standard tests that all car accident injury specialists should perform on your exam to determine if that upper back pain after your car accident is from your neck or your back.

For more information on car accident injuries and treatment read the articles on this site and for information on Car Accident Injury Treatment in Orange County, CA go to http://orange-car-accident.com

Car Accident Doctors, Orange County, CA
Dr Barry L Marks, Chiropractor Orange, CA 92868

Recently Injured in a Car Accident in Orange County, CA?

What you do in the first 72 hours after an auto accident can make or break your case and be the difference between lingering pain and an uncomplicated recovery.

First, you must get a medical exam immediately after the accident. If you are not examined in the first 72 hours, the insurance company will greatly discount your case. Of course this makes no logical sense and has nothing to do with medical science. Research tells us that a delay in symptoms of days, weeks, even months is the norm, not the exception. It is strictly a ploy by insurance computer systems to minimize your case. But, we don’t make the rules, we just observe them. So get checked immediately.

Important note about Car Accident doctors: MOST medical doctors, chiropractors, ER physicians and your HMO PCP have no idea how to properly evaluate let alone treat, car accident injuries. Therefore, you must take it upon yourself to find a “specialist” in auto accident and whiplash injury treatment. Choosing the wrong doc can lead to inadequate or erroneous documentation that kills your case. Worse, it could lead to improper treatment, which could be devastating, leaving you with chronic disabling headaches, neck pain or arthritis.

Next, you must follow your car accident doctor’s treatment advice. Nothing kills a case more than inconsistent treatment. Insurance companies look at your visits and dates. They count them. They analyze the frequency. They look for gaps in treatment of 1 week or more. Why? Because they know what a “real” or “legitimate” case looks like. They also know what a fake case looks like. So you need to be consistent. And again, what’s most important is that from a medical standpoint, you cannot expect to get better and avoid chronic pain or arthritis if you do not follow proper auto accident treatment guidelines as planned for you by your car accident specialist doctor. Treat it wrong up front and you will have years of suffering later.

Need a doctor in Orange County specializing in car accident treatment?

To contact Dr Barry Marks, Chiropractor, car accident treatment specialist of Orange, CA call (714) 938-0575 or go to http://orange-car-accident.com. Dr. Marks offers a limited number of Free Car Accident Severity Evaluations each month. Dr. Marks will personally sit down with you and talk about your accident. Then he will perform a space-age computerized spinal analysis to locate areas of injury. This totally painless cutting edge computer technology can even find hidden problems not easily detected from the outside. You will then be presented with a written Recommended Action Plan detailing what your next steps should be. This is all free of charge, but an appointment is required. Call (714) 938-0575 or go to the website http://orange-car-accident.com now to get your Free Car Accident Severity Evaluation.

Orange County, CA Auto Accident Injury Treatment Information
Dr Barry Marks, Chiropractor, Car Accident Injury Specialist Orange, CA

Exposing the Black & White Proof of Car Accident Neck Injuries

Victims of automobile accident injuries know full well the experience is painful. Unfortunately, many doctors are inadequately trained to identify, document and treat this specialized medical problem.

This emboldens the insurance companies to refute treatment as reasonable or to reduce settlement offers since the injuries are not “objectively” proven.

The medical literature indicates that a common objective sign of injury in an automobile crash is a reduced neck curve (hypolordosis). One study found that 91% of subjects with a reduced neck curve had been involved in an automobile accident.

Therefore, it is imperative to have neck x-rays following a car crash. Your doctor then needs to measure the angle of lordosis. Normal range is between 30 and 40 degrees. Many experts agree that closer to 40 degrees is best.

Once a measurement is made, your doctor then must begin steps to return your curve to normal. (For exercises that accomplish this goal, see previous posts on this blog) After a period of treatment (about 3 months) your doctor should take comparative x-rays and measure again. If the treatment has been successful, the angle or depth of curve should have increased.

See the radiographs to the right which show a decresead neck curve due to an auto accident followed by x-rays showing objective proof of correction after only 2 months of proper chiropractic rehabilitative treatment.

THe first x-ray is from an accidnerent victim who had completed several moitnhs fo pohysical tehrapy and medications, but contineud to suffer from neck pain and ehadaches.  On consultation it was learend his neck was never x-rayed despite the fact that the rear of his car suffered significant damage.

A personalized action plan was designed that included in office treatments and at home exercises over a period of 2 months. On re-exam he was found to be suffering only mild occasional headaches and his “after” x-rays showed a significant increase in neck curve. The final measurement was 38 degrees, which is well within normal limits. The patient was then instructed in an “at home” after care exercise program to maintain proper alignment.

Objective proof of an injury is crucial to make your case to the insurance companies. If your doctor does not do this, then your case is in jeopardy and you may not receive the level of compensation you deserve. Worse yet, if your doctor does not follow this protocol and releases you with an uncorrected neck, you have a 600% increase in risk for early onset osteoarthritis and persistent headaches and neck pain.

For more information on car accident injuries see previous posts on this blog and check out the free  reports, online video seminar and information at http://orange-car-accident.com

Orange County, CA Car Accident Treatment Information
Dr Barry L Marks, Chiropractor, Orange, CA 92868

Car accidents are a common problem. You probably pass by one each day on the streets or freeways of Orange County, California. If you’ve never been involved in one, consider yourself lucky. Most drivers in Southern California will experience more than one accident in their driving career.

While accidents are common, treatment rendered by acupuncturists, chiropractors, medical physicians, and physical therapists varies greatly. The effectiveness of these treatments also varies. The reason behind this is the fact that there is one very important physical problem that is at the root of all whiplash-type injuries. If your treatment is designed to correct this problem, then you stand the best possible chance for recovery. If not, then you are doomed to suffer chronic pain.

So what is this “most important physical sign?”

Hypolordosis

“Hypo” means less or reduced.

“Lordosis” is the natural curve found in the neck and lower back.

So hypo-lordosis means a reduction in a spinal curve, in the case of whiplash, the neck curve.

Here’s a picture of a neck curve that is straightened due to an auto collision. The yellow line indicates the approxiamte curve of a normal neck.

Generally, the more straightened the neck is, the worse the injury. In some cases the neck will actually be so injured it will curve the opposite direction. This is called a “kyphosis.”

X-rays are Vital After a Car Crash

Therefore, after a car crash, your doctor must see whether or not you have a normal neck curve. He or she cannot do that without taking an x-ray. So when you show up at your family doctor’s office or ER after an accident, even a minor one, and they do not take an x-ray, you know they are not the best place to be managing your condition. This sign must be looked for on x-ray to determine the extent of your injuries and give you an estimate on your long term recovery.

Identifying the Abnormal Curve is a Start…

but it is not the end all. Your doctor or therapist must also provide you with treatment that is aimed at improving your curve and getting it back to normal. A doctor or therapist who does not provide you with treatment capable of accomplishing this is not treating your problem correctly.

How do you suppose you will know if your neck curve is getting better?

Taking a comparison x-ray after a period of treatment is the only way to tell if your curve is improved. So, any doctor or therapist who does not take comparative films of your neck is doing you a disservice.

This is important.

Research tells us that people with uncorrected neck curves after an accident suffer with chronic neck pain, headaches and stiffness. You also have a 600% higher risk of developing early osteoarthritis with an uncorrected neck after an accident.

Here’s an example of a person who suffered a strain that caused Hypolordosis after a car crash and later on re-exam was found to be improved after rehabilitative care in my office.

For more information on car accident injury treatment, including a free e-book and audio and a free online video seminar series, go to http://orange-car-accident.com

Neck exercise videos for car accident victims
Orange County, CA Auto Accident Specialist
Dr Barry Marks, Chiropractor Orange, CA 92868

The third and final video of this 3 part series is the most important exercise to restore a normal curve to a neck that has been damaged by a car crash.

It is an exercise that has not only been proven over many years to restore normal curvature, but many patients enjoy the relief they feel after doing this home therapy.

For more information on car accident treatment, go to http://www.orange-car-accident.com, you may also be interested in a free online video seminar The Truth About Whiplash.

Auto accident neck injuries and neck exercises
Dr Barry L Marks, Chiropractor Orange County, CA

This is the second of three videos for neck stabilization and correction following a car accident whiplash injury. If you’ve been in an accident and have suffered a reduced neck curve as a result, then you must do these exercises to correct your neck curvature to prevent serious problems years down the road.

Video number 2 depicts Neck Extensions which are vital for restoring neck muscle strength and stamina.

For more information on car accident injury treatment, including a free online video seminar and free report, go to: http://www.orange-car-accident.com

Neck exercises for auto accident victims
Dr Barry Marks, Chiropractor Orange, CA

Whiplash injuries caused by car crashes often results in damage to the neck characterized by a loss of normal curve. Medical researchers have found that a persistently reduced cervical curve increases the victims risk for early onset osteoarthritis by 600%. Therefore it is important to re-establish a normal curve as part of the rehabilitation process after an auto accident.

Previous posts gave examples of exercises to restore strength and stability and reshape the neck curve. We now present videos showing the exercises for more clarity.

Video number 1 of 3 depicts an exercise known as Head Translation. Head translation exercises are important to restore proper mechanics and function of the upper neck region, which is particularly prone to whiplash trauma.

For more information on car accident injury treatment go to: http://www.orange-car-accident.com

Orange County, CA Car Accident Neck Exercises
Dr Barry Marks, Chiropractor Orange, CA

Exercise 3: Gravity Traction

1. Roll up a bath towel into a 4” roll, or you may use a hard foam roll, and place it on the end of your bed.
2. Lie on your back with your neck over the roll while your head hangs down over the edge of the bed.
3. Hold for 5 min/day for week one, then 10 min/day in week two, increasing to 20 min each day.

For more information on car accident injuries including a Shocking Free Report and an Online Video Whiplash Seminar, go to http://www.orange-car-accident.com

Orange County Car Accident Neck Exercises
Dr Barry Marks, Chiropractor Orange, CA

Exercise 2: Neck Extension

1. Lie face down on your bed or the floor.
2. Keeping your chest and shoulders down, lift your head up and attempt to look at the ceiling.
3. Hold position for 10-20 seconds depending on your strength.
4. Lower your head, then repeat 10 times.

For more information on car accident injuries including a Shocking Free Report and an Online Video Whiplash Seminar, go to http://www.orange-car-accident.com

Car Accident Neck Exercises
Dr Barry Marks, Chiropractor Orange County, CA

“How Do I get My Neck Back to Normal?”

We will assume for the sake of simplicity that you have concluded your Initial Relief Care treatment. This treatment has probably taken you anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks. Your pain should now be about 70% better than when you were first injured. It is now time for the second phase of care, which is called Spinal Rehabilitation care.

The two parts to Spinal Rehabilitation Care are:

1. In office visits at roughly twice each week for approximately 4-12 weeks
2. At home care daily, 7 days a week until curve returns to normal

Your in office visits will consist of:
·Various forms of cervical (neck) traction that depends on how severe your loss of curve is to mold your neck into the proper curvature.
·Isoelectronic muscle rehabilitation also known as Russian Stimulation, to increase muscle strength in the back or your neck and shoulders.
·Myofascial release (stretching, deep muscle massage, etc) to remove muscle tension
·Chiropractic spinal adjustments to maintain proper joint alignment and freedom of movement to allow your neck to be curved.

Your “homework” will include:
·General stretching of the neck and upper back that you were assigned in Initial Relief Care to loosen the muscles followed by…
·Head translation exercise to improve upper neck motion and stability
·Neck extension exercise to strengthen the neck
·Gravity traction to stretch the muscles in the front of the neck and mold the neck into the proper curvature.
·Ice pack to relieve inflammation caused by exercise

There are 3 exercises I recommend for the neck if there is a reduced curve on x-ray following an auto accident.

Exercise 1: Head Translation

Stand or sit in a comfortable position. See figure 1.

Imagine your chin being pushed backward, while your neck stays stationary. You should feel increased tension in the upper neck region as your head slides backwards. See figure 2. Hold position for 20 seconds

Return to normal position, figure 1.

Now stick chin outward while neck remains still and hold for 20 seconds. See figure 3.

Repeat movement from position 2 to position 3, 10 times.