Cervical spinal distortion is the result of whiplash injury. Synonyms for the symptomatology are whiplash syndrome. The consequences of this trauma are mostly harmless but painful soft tissue injuries such as pulled muscles. In severe cases, rare injuries of ligaments, intervertebral discs or bones may also occur.
Causes
Causes of cervical spine distortion are so-called high speed traumas. These are mostly accidents in which the body is abruptly braked from a high speed. This so-called “whiplash trauma” most frequently occurs in rear-end collisions.
The physical law of inertia ensures that the driver’s head is first accelerated in the direction of travel, then abruptly braked and “thrown” backwards against the direction of travel. (acceleration-braking mechanism). If the headrest is missing to stop the movement, the risk of major damage is enormous.
Symptoms
The symptoms can be very different. In each case, the trauma causes a reflex tension of the muscles. At the moment of the accident, the muscles immediately build up a “protective tension”, which manifests itself in painful tension.
The muscles in the shoulder-neck area feel firm and sensitive. This can additionally lead to restrictions in movement – the head can no longer be turned well and tilted sideways. In severe cases, this can lead to circulatory disorders or disorders of the nervous system. In these cases the following symptoms can occur in addition to pain: Nausea, dizziness, hearing and visual disturbances, disorientation and disturbances of the balance.
Diagnosis
After a trauma to the cervical spine, X-rays are used to rule out the possibility of bony injuries. If more serious soft tissue damage is suspected, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is also used to assess soft tissue (muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, nerve tissue).
Treatment/Therapy
Minor traumas without structural injuries usually heal by themselves within a few days to weeks. In order to relax the muscles, the patient can treat himself with warmth and perform exercises to improve mobility. In addition, painkillers (NSAIDs) can be taken if necessary.
If the trauma has led to the formation of a hard muscular tension that the patient cannot control on his own, the doctor should write a prescription for physiotherapy. The content of the physiotherapeutic treatment will initially be to restore normal muscle tension. To do this, the physiotherapist will first use manual techniques, massage techniques and stretching to reduce muscle tension and improve the limited mobility of the cervical spine.
In order to maintain the improved condition permanently, the patient will have to follow a physiotherapy exercise program. After a whiplash trauma, a relieving posture is usually followed, which also affects muscles that were not originally affected by the trauma. Specific training has the goal of achieving a correct posture and stabilizing the cervical spine.
