Whiplash Symptoms Years Later? These Montgomery chiropractors may be able to help

Most chronic pain from auto injuries is a direct result of injury to the ligaments of the spine. These injuries are often in the facet capsular ligaments, but studies have also shown injury to the anterior and posterior longitudinal ligament and the alar ligament.

Whiplash injuries are often thought to be self-limited. This is a misconception, even for those whiplash injuries that include ligament trauma. Even though clinical experience and medical literature make it clear that a significant number of whiplash patients have chronic pain, the conventional thought is that the patient should be completely restored in a few months. This is based on the myth that ligament injuries heal within six weeks.

A review in the American Journal of Medicine debunks this particular myth by looking at 24 high-quality studies that examined the natural course of recovery from ankle sprain. They found the following:

• There was a rapid decrease in pain levels in the patient’s first two weeks
• Many studies reported a wide range of pain levels one year after the injuries, ranging from 5-33%
• Many patients were still reporting problems three years after their initial injury! In one study, up to 15% of patients were complaining of problems after three years had passed.

Clearly ligament injuries that have no involvement in litigation can result in chronic pain issues for the patient. If 15% of patients with ankle sprains report symptoms three years later, it shouldn’t be surprising that patients with neck sprains, or whiplash, would also have symptoms years after their injury.

Chiropractic has often been the go-to treatment for whiplash and chronic pain injuries, and the search for a licensed and skilled Montgomery chiropractor to help treat your pain or auto injury can stop here. The Montgomery chiropractic clinic Health Star Chiropractic may be able to help you manage your pain or chronic injury.

Van Rign RM, van Os AG, Bernsen RMD, et al. What is the clinical course of acute ankle sprains? A systematic literature review. The American Journal of Medicine, 2008;121(4):324-331.