Treatment For Neck and Shoulder Pain

Car accidents can often be a scary and violent thing resulting in injury to the people involved. In many cases, neck and shoulder pain can result due to injuries suffered during a collision. Fortunately, safe and effective treatment for neck and shoulder pain exists in the form of chiropractic care.

At Manasota Accident and Injury Center in Bradenton, Florida, we specialize in diagnosing and treating injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents. If you or a loved is suffering from neck or shoulder pain after a crash, find out how our chiropractors can help treat your injuries and get you back to feeling pain-free.

What Happens During a Collision?

The neck and shoulders are often some of the most vulnerable parts of the body during a car accident. When a collision occurs, extreme forces act upon the body as it continues to try and travel at the speed you were going while being held in place by your seatbelt. While your seatbelt helps keep your torso in place, your head can be whipped around, straining, and injuring the neck and shoulders.

Under these circumstances, serious injuries can occur to the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and nerves in the neck and shoulders. These injuries can sometimes be worsened when the driver anticipates the crash coming, causing the muscles in the neck and shoulders to tighten instead of being relaxed. This often leads to serious neck and shoulder pain that may require treatment.

Signs and Symptoms of Neck and Shoulder Pain

Many people who are involved in a collision or other type of accident may not even be aware that they have suffered an injury until hours or days later. Adrenalin sent coursing through the body during an accident combined with shock may prevent you from noticing the signs and symptoms of a neck or shoulder injury.

This is why it is always important to seek medical treatment after an accident, as a doctor or chiropractor may be able to identify an injury you were unaware of and begin treatment before it worsens. Some signs and symptoms that you may have suffered a neck or shoulder injury and see a car accident doctor immediately include:

• Pain and stiffness in the neck or shoulders
• Radiating pain in the neck, shoulders, arms, or hands
• Tingling, numbness, weakness in the neck, shoulders, arms, or hands
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Limited range of motion in the neck and shoulders

If you begin to notice any of these symptoms, you should not ignore them. While these symptoms may seem minor at first, they can develop into more serious and even chronic issues down the road.

Common Neck and Shoulder Injuries Caused by Car Accidents

Car accidents or other types of forceful trauma can lead to a number of injuries to the neck and shoulders. Fortunately, car accident injuries are often treatable through chiropractic care without the need for expensive and invasive surgery.

Whiplash

Perhaps the most common type of injury suffered during a car crash is whiplash. Whiplash occurs when the head and neck are jerked back and forth forcefully due to a sudden impact. This can cause the muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves and connective tissue in the neck and shoulders to be damaged, strained, or torn.

Often the effects of whiplash are not noticed right away. However, neck and shoulder pain caused by whiplash can usually be relieved within a few weeks if treatment is started early. In some severe cases, chronic or lasting issues can develop and may require a longer course of treatment.

Soft Tissue Damage

Another extremely common injury following an accident is soft tissue damage. Soft tissue damage is damage that may occur to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments, such as tears, sprains, or strains. This can often lead to neck and shoulder pain as well as stiffness in the area.

Neck Fracture

A neck fracture is a much more serious injury than whiplash or soft tissue damage. If you experience a neck fracture, you will most likely notice immediately as the pain can be extreme. If you believe you have suffered a neck fracture, be sure to try and refrain from moving your neck without medical assistance. Any improper movement of the neck following a fracture could worsen your injury and cause further damage.

Slipped or Herniated Disc

High-impact injuries, such as those experienced in a car accident can sometimes cause a slipped or herniated disc. This occurs when an intervertebral disc in the spine slips out between the vertebrae. When this happens, the protruding disc can put pressure on the nerves of the spinal column leading to a pinched nerve. This can cause pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the neck, shoulder, and arms.

Cuts and Lacerations

Car accidents are also known to cause cuts and lacerations due to metal debris and glass that may strike you during a crash. Cuts and lacerations from an accident can sometimes be superficial, but deeper lacerations may damage ligaments, tendons, and muscles.

Facet Joint Injury

Facet joints are joints in the cervical spine that help stabilize movement of the neck and head. After suffering a forceful collision, these joints can become inflamed or the ligaments around the joints may be injured which can lead to stiffness in the joints and a reduced range of motion for the head, neck, and shoulders.

Dislocation

A common injury to the shoulders during car accidents is dislocation. A dislocation occurs when the upper arm bone of the shoulder is moved out of the circular socket it fits into. This can lead to pain when trying to move or raise your arm. You may also feel the sensation of your arm slipping or popping when moving it.

Impingement

When the muscles of the shoulder begin to rub against the shoulder blade causing inflammation, this is known as impingement. Impingement can sometimes happen following a high-impact injury, or commonly from excessive or repetitive overhead motion. Chiropractic care can help reduce inflammation caused by impingement and prevent further injury from occurring.

Rotator Cuff Issues

Your rotator cuff is made up of the tendons and muscles that hold the shoulder bones in place. The rotator cuff plays a key role in allowing your arm and shoulder a wide range of motion and injuries to your rotator cuff can restrict motion and cause pain. Injury can occur when muscles or tendons in the rotator cuff are strained, torn, or damaged. It is important to seek treatment quickly for a rotator cuff injury because it can lead to permanent damage and disability if allowed to worsen.