Whiplash involves a range of injuries to the neck caused by or related to a sudden distortion of the neck. Typically this is associated with a rear-end motor vehicle injury.
Common symptoms include neck and shoulder pain, balance disturbances, memory loss and headaches.
Different structures may be injured and cause pain with include: cervical facets, supra and inter-spinous ligaments, the AA joint, the OA joint, transverse and alar ligaments and cervical discs. At the Centeno-Schultz Clinic treatment options include cervical facet injections, radiofrequency, autologous mesenchymal stem cell therapy, intramuscular stimulation and cervical strengthening.
A recent study by Ishikawa MD, demonstrated that a cerebrospinal leak was a common source of headaches, dizziness, visual impairment and nausea in patients who had whiplash injuries. A nuclear medicine test called radio-isotope cisternography identified a cerebrospinal leak in more than 50% of patients, most commonly in the lumbar spine. Treatment involved injection of a patients own blood into the epidural space thereby “patching” the leak. Patients had significant reduction in their symptoms following therapy.