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
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
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.
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
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.
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
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
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.
At the moment of impact in a typical rear-end collision, your head remains momentarily still while your body is forced forward. This instantaneous separation of the movement of your torso and head causes the neck shape to be deformed injuring muscles, ligaments, tendons, discs, joint surfaces, nerves and even your brain.
This all occurs before you are even conscious of the collision. By the time you realized you were hit, your spine as already been damaged!
The degree of spine damage depends on many factors including your age, gender, body type, vehicle type, seat and head restraint type, your position at impact, previous accidents, and more. Interestingly, vehicle damage has been repeatedly shown NOT to be a good predictor of bodily injury.
One of the most reliable factors of injury are your symptoms and how soon after the collision they show up and your x-ray findings. Much research has gone into determining the long-term outlook of crash victims and how to predict whether you will recover from your injuries or not.
The presence of an abnormal neck curve on x-rays after a collision is a key factor in your prognosis. Medical researchers have found that if your neck is damaged it will change it’s shape which is readily measurable on x-ray examination. How far from normal your neck curve has deviated determines how badly you are injured and how difficult it may be to return your neck to normal.
Consider the pictures below…on the left is a normal curve that resembles a backwards “C.” On the right is an “S” shaped curve due to whiplash.
A normal “C” shaped neck curve measures between 30 and 40 degrees. There is some debate about whether or not the higher number, 40 is a steadfast norm. I believe, if you are between those numbers that is a good place to be.
Let’s compare a normal neck, Figure 1 and an abnormal neck in Figure 2:
You may have noticed that the patient is facing to the left instead of to the right as in the pictures previously, but you should also note that Fig. 1 has a nice deep curve, while Fig. 2 is very straight. This is a classic example of what is called a “hypolordosis” or decreased curve of the neck.
What you need to understand is that after your initial treatment that is designed to reduce pain by quelling inflammation and spasm, it is highly probable that your neck will still be misshaped like this. Unfortunately, doctors who do not know about or do not understand the importance of fully rehabilitating a neck after an accident, treat many crash victims. So once your pain is reduced, these doctors will unceremoniously release you from care without taking a second set of x-rays to measure your curve. You will be released with less pain, but your neck is still damaged inside and will eventually become painful again. Worse, is that later you will suffer deterioration of your neck joints and have early osteoarthritis. Medical research indicates a 600% increase in risk for early arthritis in victims with persistently reduced neck curve after a crash.As you can see, it is very important for your long-term health to correct your neck as much as possible.
In the next post, we will cover the specific neck exercises you MUST do if you have suffered an auto accident.
For more information on car accident injuries including a Free Report
and a Free Online Video
Orange County Car Accident Information
Dr Barry L Marks, Chiropractor Orange, CA
Auto Accident Injury Treatment Expert
Scientific and medical studies have shown that upwards of 40% of car accident victims suffer long-term pain and impairment. Therefore, contrary to what insurance companies may want you to believe, whiplash is not a self limited problem that will just go away. Car accident injuries are serious.
Researchers point to 3 distinct structures that become injured in a car accident that account for the vast majority of chronic whiplash sufferers.
Facet joint injury
because the damage. Namely, neck damage is The number one cause of chronic neck pain form am motor vehicle collision is a damaged facet joint. The facet joints technically known as zygapohyseal joints, are the joints on the back of the spine that connect two spinal bones or vertebrae together. These joints are designed to allow your spine to move. When the neck is subjected to the extreme forces of a motor vehicle collision, the joints become damaged. These injuries are nearly impossible to detect since symptoms of a damaged facet joint are the same as a whiplash strain type injury without facet joint damage. Pain and stiffness that radiates into the shoulder blade on certain head and neck movements is the hallmark of this injury. Facet joint injury is suspected in cases of whiplash that fail to respond fully in a reasonable amount of time and a pain pattern that is reproducible. When the head is angled backward and to the side at the same time and then slightly compressed, the characteristic shoulder blade pain will appear.
Intervertebral disc injury
contact nerves The next most common cause of chronic whiplash pain is a damaged disc. The larger part of the spinal bones are separated by a disc. The disc is a shock absorber and a spacer to allow room for nerves to exit between the vertebrae. Car accidents cause shearing forces across the disc and cause the fibers to tear. Small tears in the outer disc fibers will cause pain in the centerline of the spine . Tears may eventually worsen until the disc begins to bulge outward which causes radiating pain into the arms, hands or fingers. Often times the disc bulge or herniation occurs weeks, months even years after the initial injury.
Upper cervical ligament damage
The third most common cause of chronic whiplash pain, particularly headaches is damage to the ligaments that hold your head and upper neck in alignment. These “accessory” ligaments as they are commonly called, are damaged by teh spine being forced into an “S” configuration milliseconds after impact. The result is looseness in the joints between the skull and the top 2 spinal bones the “atlas” and “axis.” The looseness is often hidden early on by muscle spasm, but once spasm abates a noticeable “clunk” or “crack” will be heard and felt by the victim on turning or tilting the head. The looseness leads to misalignment of the upper cervical vertebrae which cause head pain.
You may now realize that whiplash injuries from car accidents are in fact serious. Up to 40% of car accident victims will suffer chronic pain and impairment because they have suffered injury to their facet joints, disc or accessory ligaments.
Learn more about injuries and treatment after a car accident by attending a Free Car Accident Injury Webinar. This is an in depth 10 part video series that explains in easy to understand language what whiplash is, what effects it has on your health and what can be done about it. There is even a session on how to avoid whiplash injuries. The information is suitable for the public but is also fully referenced with leading scientific references so that doctors and lawyers handling these cases can better help their patients and clients.
Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Dana Point, Dove Canyon, Foothill Ranch, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Habra, La Palma, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, South Santa Ana, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, Yorba Linda, Rancho Santa Margarita, California, University of California Irvine, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton College, John Wayne Airport, Near Main Place Mall, Near the Block of Orange, South Coast Plaza
We also provide Car Accident solutions for residents of Los Angeles County in Whittier, Norwalk, La Mirada, Santa Fe Springs, Long Beach, Bellflower, Downey. And to Corona, Chino, and Chino Hills residents.
Posted by Dr Barry L. Marks, DC 
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.
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.
instructed in an “at home” after care exercise program to maintain proper alignment.
Posted by Dr Barry L. Marks, DC 
Posted by Dr Barry L. Marks, DC 
Scientific and medical studies have shown that upwards of 40% of car accident victims suffer long-term pain and impairment. Therefore, contrary to what insurance companies may want you to believe, whiplash is not a self limited problem that will just go away. Car accident injuries are serious.
Subscribe Here
