Have You Had Pressure Headaches Or Migraines & Other Symptoms Since Your Whiplash Injury?

Whiplash is a common injury caused by motor vehicle accidents, but it can also be caused by sports-related collisions, falls, and other trauma. An incidence of whiplash can lead to ongoing medical complaints and a deteriorated quality of life. In fact, the National Institutes of Health published a study that showed almost 40% of patients with grade 2 whiplash were still experiencing pain five years after the traumatic event that caused their injury. Here's what you need to know. 

Two Medical Conditions That Can Be Caused By Whiplash 

Sometimes, people who have had a whiplash injury develop what is called craniocervical syndrome, which can cause migraines and affect the flow of the cerebrospinal fluid at the base of the brain and in the spinal cord, or acquired Chiari malformation, which can cause pressure headaches and also affect the cerebrospinal fluid flow. Here's what you need to know if you have had a whiplash and are having migraines or headaches and other symptoms. 

Craniocervical Syndrome 

Craniocervical syndrome is a fairly new diagnosis in the medical community, although it has been previously identified as atlas subluxation complex syndrome in the chiropractic community. A severe neck strain or whiplash injury can cause craniocervical syndrome due to the stress and damage to the various nerves, ligaments, and other structures. A syndrome is the collection of various symptoms.

The symptoms of craniocervical syndrome include migraines or pressure headaches, pain in the back of the neck, ringing in the ears, blurred vision, and diminished cognitive skills. When experiencing pressure headaches or migraines, additional symptoms can include dizziness or vertigo, loss of balance, numbness and tingling in the extremities, and loss of motor skills in the legs and arms. 

Treatment for this syndrome typically involves the long-term wearing of a traction device or neck collar. Depending on your employment, this may make it difficult to continue working in your chosen career field and could be a huge factor in seeking compensation. 

Chiari Malformation 

Congenital Chiari malformation is a condition in which the base of the skull is improperly shaped and causes the cerebral tonsils to descend into the opening for the spinal cord. A trauma, such as whiplash, can trigger Chiari malformation symptoms. Acquired Chiari malformation can be caused by a dural leak that resulted from a whiplash injury. The leak reduces the level of cerebrospinal fluid, which causes a suctioning effect on the cerebral tonsils, pulling them down and into the opening for the spinal cord. 

The main symptom of Chiari malformation is a pressure headache, particularly when bending over, coughing, sneezing, yelling, or straining. Other symptoms of Chiari include numbness and tingling in the extremities, nausea, dizziness or vertigo, difficulty swallowing, inability to form words, brain fog, clumsiness, loss of motor control in the extremities, ringing in the ears, blurred vision, and painful tingling or numbness anywhere on the body. 

Treatment for this condition typically involves either lifestyle changes or neurosurgery. Sometimes, recovery from neurosurgery can take many months in which patients are unable to work, which is why it's important to seek compensation. 

In conclusion, if you have a whiplash injury that was the result of a motor vehicle accident caused by someone's negligence, it is in your best interest to seek compensation for your injury and the lingering health issues that were caused by the whiplash. This is because of the huge financial impact the whiplash injury can cause, due to medical bills and loss of earnings that go along with having craniocervical syndrome, migraines, and other lingering health problems. Speak with a personal injury lawyer at a law firm like The Accident Law Center for more information and guidance.