Ellicott City Whiplash

Children in Motor Vehicle Collisions

admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:47:35 +0000

Pertaining to the causes of death of our children, the following statistics were compiled from the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

Notice that the second leading cause for accidental death in children < 1 year of age was motor vehicle accident.

Based upon these statistics, it seems ludicrous to claim that children cannot be injured in motor vehicle crashes.

Age Group	Most Prevalent Cause of Death	Most Prevalent Cause of Accidental Death
<1	Birth Defects
1 – 4	Accidental	Motor Vehicle Accident
5 – 9	Accidental	Motor Vehicle Accident
10 – 14	Accidental	Motor Vehicle Accident
15 – 24	Accidental	Motor Vehicle Accident

What exactly is Whiplash???

admin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:08:43 +0000

Although whiplash injury can break (fracture) a bone, fractures from whiplash trauma are quite rare. Whiplash trauma primarily injures the joints of the neck. A joint is where a bone meets a bone. Joints allow the bones to move with respect to each other.

Ligaments hold the bones together at the joint. Ligaments also stop the bones from moving too far. When the bones are moved too far, the ligaments are injured. Ligament injury is called a sprain. Whiplash injury moves the bones of the neck too far apart, resulting in neck joint ligament injury (sprain).

Muscles cross the joints. Muscles generate the forces required to move the bones at the joint. If the movement of the joint is too far, not only the ligaments, but also the muscles will be injured. A muscle injury is called a strain. Whiplash trauma can injure both the ligaments (sprain) and the muscles (strain).

Most of the bones of the body connect with each other through only one joint, like a knuckle in a finger. The knuckle is a joint, held together by ligaments and using muscles to move the bones at the joint. However, a single joint for the bones of the spine would be a bad design because a single joint would not allow the spine to have its required strength, stability, and freedom of motion.

Notice that a knuckle joint in your finger only moves in one plane of motion, forward and backwards. Notice that the same knuckle joint does not move side to side. In addition, the joints of the knuckles are not very strong because they do not have to bear weight. In contrast, notice how your spine can move in many directions. The spine can move forward and backwards, it can move side to side (bend left and right), and it can turn left and right (rotation). The spine also transmits the weight of our head, arms, chest, and abdomen. In addition to these tasks, arguably the most important function of the bones of the spine is to protect the spinal cord and the nerves that control the function of our entire body. The spinal nerves exit the spinal cord between the joints of the bones of the spine.

The engineering marvel that allows our spines to have such a large diversity of movement, the strength to bear weight, and the responsibility of protecting the spinal cord and the spinal nerves, is largely due to the unique design of the bones of the spine, called the vertebrae. The vertebrae has three joints, not just one, and the three joints are arranged in the shape of a triangle.

The large joint in the front of the vertebrae (top oval in the drawing below) is called the disc. It is the disc joint that is primarily responsible for bearing the weight of our bodies.

The two joints in the back of the vertebrae are called facet joints. It is the facet joints that control the direction of vertebrae movement.

The neck has 7 movable vertebrae; the entire spine has 24.

The spinal cord lives in the center of the triangle of the three joints, and the spinal nerves exit between the disc joint and the facet joints.

If you have been involved in an auto accident, please give our office a call & get checked today…

Muneses Chiropractic Center, PC

(410) 418-4007

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Ellicott City Auto Injury Chiropractor

admin — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:59:53 +0000

According to the Insurance Research Council, nearly 1/3 of all claimants injured in motor vehicle accidents (MVA’s) seek treatment from doctors of chiropractic. This is an impressive number given that the National Safety Council (NSC) has determined there to be more than 12 million MVA’s annually involving more than 20 million vehicles.

The reason individuals like yourself choose chiropractic care for treatment of injuries sustained in MVA’s is simple – chiropractic care is exceptional in the treatment of soft tissue injuries, especially of the spine. Since the most common injuries associated with MVA’s are sprains and strains of the spinal muscles and ligaments, it’s only natural that chiropractic be the treatment of choice.

Many studies have also found individuals injured in MVA’s prefer chiropractic care for the treatment of their injuries. One such study evaluated 190 whiplash injury victims and found those who received chiropractic care reported treatment satisfaction of 100%.

If you have been hurt in an auto accident, call us today.

Muneses Chiropractic Center, PC
Dr. Jeff Muneses
10324-A Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott City, Maryland 21042

Tel: (410) 418-4007
Fax: (410) 418-4009

http://www.drjeff.net/

Stage of Healing Following Soft Tissue Injury

admin — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 03:10:15 +0000

What To Do After An Accident

admin — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:56:51 +0000

Schedule An Appointment

If you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident you will need to make an appointment for a brief, but thorough, examination. Often, individuals involved in motor vehicle accidents experience minimal or no symptoms for the first few weeks and even months. It’s important to not only receive immediate and appropriate treatment for any injuries sustained, but also to document the extent of the injuries, if present.

Failure to obtain a timely evaluation or appropriate treatment for injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident may negate your ability to receive monetary compensation for any future medical bills resulting from the accident, negate your ability to receive pain and suffering settlements, and negate compensation for work loss.

We Will Determine…

When you come in, Dr. Jeff Muneses will determine:

the extent of the injury or injuries
the length of time required to treat your injuries
if referral to another medical specialist is required
if special tests are required (i.e. MRI, CT Scan, etc.)
if you need to take “injury time off” from work (and provide you with a note to present to your employer)

Don’t Delay, Call Today!

If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident, call (or have them call) Muneses Chiropractic Center immediately. The quicker you receive the care you need, the quicker your injuries will heal and the faster you can get on with your life. Don’t delay, call today! –> 410-418-4007

Muneses Chiropractic Center, PC

Dr. Jeff Muneses D.C.

10324A Baltimore Nat’l Pike

Ellicott City, MD 21042

Have you been involved in an auto accident?

admin — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 02:24:48 +0000

Many studies have also found individuals injured in MVA’s prefer chiropractic care for the treatment of their injuries. One such study evaluated 190 whiplash injury victims and found those who received chiropractic care reported treatment satisfaction of 100%.

For more Information visit:

www.drjeff.net

or call Muneses Chiropractic Center at 410-418-4007

Whiplash Injury and Cervicogenic Headache

admin — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 03:00:19 +0000

Barbara is a 45-year old woman with two adult children. She is employed full-time as a sales clerk at the local mall. Her job is not physically demanding nor is it ergonomically challenging. Her job allows her to assume multiple physical positions throughout the day while she is assisting a variety of customers with a variety of needs. There is no required heavy lifting or prolonged postures.

Barbara is fit, with good muscle tone and posture. She stands 5 feet 4 inches tall and weight 120 pounds. Her exercise regime consists of walking several miles per day, nearly every day of the week, with a group of her friends.

Barbara has suffered with chronic headaches for 24 years. In addition, her headaches seemed to make her right shoulder ache.

Barbara’s headaches began when she was involved in a motor vehicle collision that occurred at 21 years of age. She did not recall many of the details of the collision other than that she was the driver of a vehicle that was struck from the rear. The collision caught her by surprise and she remembers her head being thrown backwards. There was no loss of consciousness, and she did not experience being dazed, confusion, disorientation, or loss of any memory. The damage to her vehicle was minor, and she was able to drive away from the accident scene after exchanging insurance information with the man who was driving the striking vehicle.

Barbara did not experience pain or any other complaints at the accident scene. However, as the day progressed, she became aware of some minor neck stiffness. The next day was a different story. Barbara recalls that the next morning she was unable to pick her head up off her pillow without using her hands to assist her. Her neck was painful and stiff. And, she had a headache.

Barbara attributed her neck and head signs and symptoms to a “strain” injury caused by the vehicle collision she was involved in. She took some over-the-counter pain pills, and within a few days she was much improved.

However, about a week after the collision, Barbara became more aware that she still had a headache, and that it did not appear to be improving. Rather it seemed to be becoming more pronounced. The headache was located at the right upper posterior area of her neck and also around and behind her right eye.

Since being injured 24 years ago, Barbara has had to constantly deal with her headaches. They occur frequently and range in severity from annoying to debilitating. When she is suffering from a bad headache, she also notices an abnormal sensitivity to bright lights (photophobia). She notes that apparent triggers for her headaches range from certain neck movements to prolonged neck postures. Her headaches are always only on her right side.

Barbara’s examination shows significantly reduced lateral flexion and rotation of the upper cervical spine on the right side. She is very sensitive to mild/moderate digital pressure applied to the suboccipital region and muscles. Importantly, her right-sided frontal (around her eye) headache can be triggered by sustained deeper pressure at the inferior margin of the right inferior oblique muscle. Recall, the inferior oblique muscle exists between the spinous process of the axis (C2) and the transverse process of the atlas (C1). (Two easily identifiable landmarks for a practicing chiropractor; see drawing page 10).

Barbara reports that she has consulted a number of medical doctors (general practitioners, not specialists) about these headaches, resulting in her taking a variety of over-the-counter and/or prescription medications. She reports that these drugs definitely help her, especially when her headache is severe. She states that she takes pain medicines for her headache 10-15 days per month. But, after developing some gastrointestinal bleeding from taking over-the-counter drugs, her primary care physician suggested she try the COX-2 inhibitor drug Celebrex. She has now been consuming Celebrex 10-15 days per month, reporting that it is quite helpful when she has a bad headache.

However, Barbara became concerned after hearing media reports of Celebrex and other pain medicines being associated with an increased risk of heart attacks. In addition, she reported that she was weary of having to consume pain medicines 10-15 days per month to function appropriately in her life. Barbara acknowledges that medicines she had been taking for her headaches were helpful, but that they had not cured her headaches, and her suffering had been going on for 24 years.

Courtesy of The Chiropractic Impact Report

For more information please visit www.drjeff.net

Chiropractic Treatment for Auto Accident Injuries

admin — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 02:40:40 +0000

Seat Belt Injuries

admin — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:57:54 +0000

The primary purpose for vehicle seat belts is to prevent occupant ejections as a consequence of inertially based forces. The experience of being thrown from a vehicle during a collision is often fatal or associated with life-long impairments. Seat belts are excellent at preventing vehicle occupants from being thrown out of the vehicle during a collision (ejected). Consequently, there is no doubt, seat belts save lives.

However, more than half a century ago, it was noted that seat belts themselves could cause injuries. There are primarily two injuries associated with this:

1. The lap belt alone does not stop the forward inertial motion of the trunk above the belt or the pelvis and legs below the belt. Lap belts alone concentrate the inertial forces to the small (a few inches) cross sectional dimension of the belt. This allows the lap belt to function as a fulcrum of a first class lever mechanical system (a teeter totter). When the portions of the body above and below the belt continue in forward motion, the stresses at the fulcrum (the belt) are magnified, resulting in increased injury to the tissues behind the lap belt. These tissues include abdominal viscera (including the mesenteric arteries), the spine and its associated soft tissues (Thompson, 2001; Hall, 2001)

2. The addition of a (unilateral) shoulder harness will reduce the forward inertial motion of the trunk that lies above the lap portion of the belt. This is largely desirable, but not without its own complications. The primary benefit is a significant reduction of lap belt fulcrum injuries. The complications of the (unilateral) shoulder harness include:

A) The shoulder harness does not stop the forward inertial motion of the head. Since the addition of the shoulder harness reduces the forward motion of the trunk but not that of the head, there is an increase in the inertial stresses the cervical spine experiences. This is not good for the neck. There is clear documentation that the incidence of neck sprains has increased since the use of lap/shoulder belt combination became compulsory (Rutherford, 1985).

B) Since the shoulder harness only restrains one shoulder, the forward inertial motion of the other shoulder introduces a rotational or twisting mechanism to the torso (Anrig, 1998).

C) The shoulder harness increases injury to the chest wall, sternum and clavicle (Greingor, 2006).

D) The shoulder harness increases injury to the breast (DiPiro, 1995; Majeski, 2007; Paddle, 2010).

For more information on seat belt injuries contact:

Dr. Jeff Muneses, D.C.

410-418-4007

10324A Baltimore Nat’l Pike, Ellicott City, Md 21042

The Law of Inertia

admin — Thu, 05 May 2011 01:05:38 +0000

In world history, many consider the smartest person to ever have lived to be Sir Isaac Newton. Newton was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, and theologian. Newton spent his career at the University of Cambridge. In 1687, at the age of 43, Newton published the book Principia Mathematic, which is among the most influential books in the history of science.

In Principia Mathematic, Newton describes the three Laws of Motion. It is Newton’s Laws of Motion that explain contemporary whiplash trauma and subsequent injury. The most important Law is his first, often referred to as the Law of Inertia. Simply stated in the context of whiplash trauma, things at rest tend to remain at rest, and different parts of the same object can have different inertias. The larger the part and the more it weighs, the larger the inertia, or the greater its tendency to not want to move.

The object in question in a whiplash trauma is a human body. The human body has two large parts that have their own separate inertia, the trunk and the head. These two large pieces of inertial mass (the head and the trunk) are connected by a thin pole, the neck.

During a motor vehicle collision, a vehicle that is struck from behind will quickly move forward. As the vehicle moves forward, so do the passenger seats in the vehicle. As the passenger seat moves forward, so does the trunk of the passenger sitting in the seat. However, the head of the passenger in the seat does not move forward because the head has a separate inertia from the trunk. As the vehicle, the seat, and the trunk move forward from the collision, the head remains at rest, forcing the neck backwards.

The result is an inertial injury to the soft tissues of the vertebrae joints of the neck. Importantly, the neck does not hit anything; it sustains an inertial injury, similar to that seen in shaken baby syndrome.

If you have been in an automobile accident, call today for your free consultation!

Muneses Chiropractic Center, PC

Dr. Jeff Muneses, D.C

410-418-4007

10324A Baltimore Nat’l Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21042