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Neck Injuries and Whiplash

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Neck injuries, which commonly occur in automobile or sports accidents, are not to be taken lightly. "If a vertebra in the neck is broken and left untreated, injury to the spinal cord can happen hours or days after the injury," explained Edward C. Benzel, MD, a spine surgery professor and practicing neurosurgeon in Ohio. "Because of the severe consequences and irreversible nature of spinal cord injuries, extreme caution needs to be taken with anyone who has suffered a direct injury to the neck." If the spinal cord is injured or bruised the patient can be paralyzed below the site of the injury. If a vertebra in the neck is broken or cracked, neurosurgeons often will stabilize the spine by fusion and instrumentation to prevent further injury to the spinal cord.

A more common neck injury is whiplash. Symptoms include neck stiffness, shoulder or arm pain, headache, facial pain and dizziness. Aggressive physical therapy, time and medication are often the most effective treatment for whiplash injuries, unless there is a herniation of a disc in the cervical spine. If the symptoms still persist after four to six weeks, or if there is severe weakness in the arms, hands or legs, a neurosurgical consult should be considered. Over 90 percent of patients who undergo surgery for cervical disc herniation have significant pain relief.

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Updated on: 01/12/10
Stephen E. Heim, MD
As described by Drs. Sonntag and Benzel, there are a wide variety of causes of neck pain and associated nerve root, or spinal cord compression symptoms. Scenarios including significant spinal instability (such as fractures, or ligamentous injuries to the spine), or those involving significant nerve/spinal cord compression, may require early surgical intervention. The larger percentage of patients with neck pain and/or associated nerve root compression can be treated successfully by non-surgical means. Many times an initial consult with a spine surgeon (Orthopaedic/Neurosurgeon/or fellowship trained subspecialist) is appropriate to determine whether or not a given patient is appropriate to attempt non-surgical management. As mentioned by Dr. Benzel, if an initial course of well orchestrated physical therapy (usually 4 to 8 weeks) is unsuccessful, surgical intervention may then be an alternative. Whether surgical or nonsurgical treatment is utilized, the patient will often times be prescribed an ongoing (and relatively simple) exercise regimen. The continuation of such an exercise program can many times be of significant benefit in avoiding varying degrees of stiffness or achiness, which may be experienced following a neck injury or surgery.
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