So my left shoulder blade isn’t hurting as much but my neck is absolutely killing me. It hurts to hold up my head, it hurts to lie down. It hurts to move from side to side. It hurts to hold still. It just plain hurts. I’ve tried tylenol, advil, aleve, topical analgesics, ice, and nothing has so much as put a moment’s relief dent in the thing.
I made the mistake of googling the phrase, “whiplash – what does it feel like.” The results, not from WebMD but from the far less name accredited NetDoctor, state:
What causes whiplash?
Whiplash occurs when the soft tissue in the spine is stretched and strained after the body is thrown in a sudden, forceful jerk.
The injury most commonly occurs in car crashes involving sudden deceleration, but the injury can also occur in other strenuous physical activities, such as diving.
Whiplash may also be referred to as a cervical acceleration/deceleration injury, while whiplash-associated disorders describe injury squally and symptoms.
A whiplash is normally associated with road traffics accident when the vehicle is rear shunted. It can also occur with falls.
Incidents
Over 400,000 people per year make an insurance claim for whiplash. It is the commonest non-lethal car crash injury.
Approximately four people per thousand experience whiplash symptoms per year. Injuries can occur at speeds of 15 miles per hour or less.
Only 20 per cent of patients remain symptomatic after twelve months.
What does whiplash feel like?
The most frequent complaints are headaches and stiffness in the neck and the back of the head.
They can come on immediately or within a few days. Pins and needles/paraesthesia in the shoulders, arms and hands can also occur.
Pins and needles/paraesthesia in the shoulders, arms and hands can also occur.
Is there anything the patient can do about whiplash injury?
In the first 24 hours after the injury, an ice bag applied to the neck will help relieve inflammation.
Bags of frozen peas make particularly good ice packs because they mould to the body.
An ice bag should first be wrapped in a towel or cloth to avoid direct contact between the skin and the ice. The patient should lie in bed with their head resting on the ice bag for 20 minutes at a time, with the head also supported by a pillow.
So, basically, my fall to the ground is a possible cause of whiplash; there’s only a 20% chance it’ll bother me for more than a year, and oh, yeah, always with the frozen peas. I assumed I’d have to go to the local Walgreens or CVS and pick up a neck collar that would only further diminsh my chances with the ladies as it’d make me look too priestly (and not the Jason kind). But then there’s this:
Exercise
Research has shown that whiplash patients who rest for several weeks and wear a soft collar actually recover more slowly than those who try to follow a normal routine.
Patients with acute pain in the cervical region of the spine are advised to start their neck exercises as soon as possible and to get out of bed within two to three days.
So that’s why despite the Doctor Smith-ian “Lost in Space”-Coast Marathonian “Pain,” I went for my run today per usual. Slow and at times painful… but then, that’s just the way it goes sometimes.
I’m bummed to say the least… but the internet says go exercise so it has to be true right? Of course my symptoms also mean I could have meningitis, Dengue Fever, or African Trypanosomiasis (better known as “Sleeping Sickness”) .
Never ever google anything ever about your health. It’s just one long twisted path down the rabbit hole. I think I feel worse than I did before I started this home remedy effort. Sigh.