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The majority of people who suffer a whiplash type injury as
a result of an automobile accident are instructed to wear a neck brace but, an
abundant amount of research suggests that neck braces, also known as cervical
collars, may actually cause more harm than good.
A new study shows that individuals who experienced whiplash
have a better chance of recovering from their injury and symptoms without the
use of a cervical collar. In addition, these findings, together with previous
studies, also suggest that individuals may have better recovery results with
active treatments such as chiropractic care and exercise.
Researchers from the Mexican Institute of Social Security
analyzed and evaluated the medical records of 100 individuals with whiplash
that had received treatment in emergency rooms. From them, 68% of the affected
people were recommended to wear cervical collars along with anti-inflammatory
drugs while 32% of the affected people were only recommended the medications. The
results of the research indicated that the people wearing cervical collars were
most likely to miss work than those people who didn’t wear cervical collars. Even
within the 15% of individuals who didn’t miss work, they admitted to not
wearing their neck braces.
Other studies have also demonstrated that the use of
cervical collars can prolong pain and disability in individuals with whiplash
injuries. A 2008 meta-analysis of recent studies on whiplash treatment found
that cervical collars are fundamentally meant to be used in cases of spinal
fractures for it to be beneficial. It’s use in other types of injuries or
conditions can actually prevent recovery.
The function of cervical collars is to immobilize the spine
in order to prevent further damage or injury. Nonetheless, the neck’s
inactivity resulting from the use of cervical collars can eventually cause
muscle degeneration and decreased function. Studies today show that the use of
active treatments for whiplash injuries as a result of an automobile accident,
or other sources, are more effective in treating the musculoskeletal injuries.
Chiropractic treatment is most commonly sought to treat
whiplash. Chiropractic care for treating this type of injury includes neck
adjustments and manual manipulation, followed by gentle stretches and exercises
to help speed up the rehabilitation process. By re-aligning the cervical spine
and correcting tissue damage as a result of the injury, a chiropractor can help
restore the affected individual’s normal mobility and decrease their pain and
other symptoms. Including one study demonstrated that chiropractic treatment
considerably improved the symptoms of up to 93% of individuals with whiplash
injuries.
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
