Malcom Floyd is out indefinitely after serious neck injury last week.
Are neck injuries, and even fatalities, a simple fact of footballing life? Is enough being done to stop them happening? Read more
The majority of acute onset neck pain is due to muscle tension but in some cases left-sided neck pain, right-sided neck pain, or neck pain that presents with Horner’s syndrome are the result of carotid artery dissection or carotidynia. It appears that carotid artery dissection, whilst once thought fairly rare, is actually a risk for many people, young or old, active or inactive. Indeed, activities such as running, golf, and contact sports can all lead to acute trauma to the carotid artery and neck pain, and for some patients this can be fatal. In today’s blog post we take a look at a case of Horner’s syndrome as a result of carotid artery dissection. Read more
The sun is shining, you’re in your best beach attire, you’re working up a sweat (and a tan) with some beach volleyball and neck pain strikes. Don’t end up sitting this season out; make sure to avoid injuries by following these simple steps to have fun in the sun and do some great smashes over that volleyball net. Read more
Many cases of whiplash and neck pain could be prevented by taking a few seconds to make some simple adjustments to your driving set-up. Don’t wait until you’ve experienced the pain of injury and have to research your whiplash treatment options before taking action. Adjust your seating position every time you get in the car if you share your vehicle with another driver and make sure to take the following safety tips into account when buying a new car. Read more
What's the best way to treat whiplash and neck pain after a car accident?
Two newly published studies have found that minimally invasive surgery for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (NTOS) can significantly improve patients’ symptoms. This relatively uncommon condition causes neck pain, paraesthesia in the arms, neck and hands, numbness and weakness in the upper body and is more frequent in young, active and generally healthy patients.
One of the studies found that a fairly recently developed type of surgery is particularly helpful at relieving thoracic outlet syndrome in adolescents when the pinched nerves are being caused by the pectoralis minor tendon. Read more
Researchers in the UK have concluded that active management consultations of whiplash in the emergency department are not cost effective and do not improve patients’ prognosis in acute whiplash, which can cause a number of symptoms, including neck pain. The types of things included in active management for acute whiplash were intensive physiotherapy, promotion of positivity for recovery, exercise, early re-engagement in daily routines, an educational booklet on whiplash, and pain management assistance. Patients receiving this type of care, compared to standard care, saw little additional benefit and no long-term benefits leading the authors to conclude that ‘less is more’ when it comes to acute whiplash care.
The study was published in the Lancet’s February 16th edition and was carried out by Sarah E. Lamb, DPhil, and colleagues from the Warwick Clinical Trials Unit, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom. A two-step process was rolled out for patients visiting one of 12 hospitals or 15 emergency departments (EDs) taking part in the study. Six of the hospitals and seven of the EDs recruited patients for the active management protocol and the remainder proceeded with usual consultation practices. The data was adjusted for initial whiplash grade and other potential confounding factors.
Whiplash can cause a number of ongoing problems years after the initial injury and many of these are difficult to connect to the neck trauma, leading to problems in applying proper treatment. There is some evidence that cervical spine instability is more common in those suffering whiplash, with conditions such as facet joint arthritis and tinnitus an increased risk for such patients. Whiplash associated disorder may also involve cognitive deficits that can take weeks, months or even years to resolve, if at all. Headaches and neck pain are commonly associated with whiplash associated disorder and patients are often advised to do their best to avoid unnecessary stress and strain on the neck.
Some 3851 patients took part in the first stage of the study, 2253 of whom were seen in hospitals in the active management group and 1598 in the hospitals providing usual care. Just over half of the acute whiplash patients were women (55%) and the mean average age was 37 years. Follow-up data was available for 70% of patients at the 12 month mark and the results showed little difference between the groups. The median Neck Disability Index scores varied by 0.5; a difference of 3 points is considered clinically meaningful.
In step two of the study, half of the patients were given a single physiotherapy session, to consolidate the advice given in their earlier ED visit, and the other half had a series of six physiotherapy sessions. Two thirds (67%) of the patients in the active group completed the prescribed course of physio after whiplash and 80% of the usual care group finished the course; those who provided follow-up data at four months (80%) showed modest benefit for neck disability but there was no long-lasting benefit at eight or twelve months. The additional cost of these sessions and the lack of clear benefit led the researchers to conclude that a single session and usual care in the hospital or emergency department is the recommended treatment for acute whiplash.
Lamb, S.E., et al, Lancet. 2013;381:514-515, 546-556.
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