What Are Whiplash-Associated Headaches?

Whiplash and headaches are a very common duo that frequently occur after motor vehicle collisions. The good news is that most headaches that arise immediately following a head injury (or shortly thereafter) usually improve after minutes or days. But unfortunately for some, these headaches may persist over the longer term and even become a permanent part of life.

Researchers use the terms “post-traumatic” and “post-concussive” headache to describe long-term, intractable headaches associated with trauma. Given the back-and-forth, to-and-fro (and every combination in between) mechanism of injury in car crashes, it’s easy to understand why headaches develop. What isn’t so easy to appreciate is why most clear out while others don’t and become chronic.

Mild brain injuries are essentially a concussion (also referred to as mild traumatic brain injury or mTBI). This is usually a brief disturbance of brain function causing loss of consciousness or transient difficulty in thought processes. Mental fog, difficulty completing simple tasks, and losing one’s place in the middle of a thought or sentence are common mTBI symptoms.

Because standard neurological exam and imaging techniques (CT, MRI, X-Ray, and EEG) usually come back negative, many physicians have resorted to calling these symptoms “psychological.” However, newer technologies such as diffuse tensor imaging or functional MRI can detect the microscopic injuries to the nerve fibers in the brain that may cause the previously described symptoms.

A unique difference between the classic chronic tension-type headache vs. those associated with post-concussive syndrome are the additional neurological symptoms: dizziness, ringing in the ears, blurred vision, psychological symptoms including depression, anxiety, personality change, sleep disturbance, and impaired libido.

Additionally, patients may also experience difficulty concentrating, poor work efficiency, and difficulty maintaining attention or retaining information—it’s no wonder why disability rates are so high in this patient population. It’s a LOT to deal with!

Treatment of this type of headache and constellation of symptoms has traditionally centered on treating each symptom individually, as there is no “magic pill” that gets to the underlying brain disturbance. However, there is hope that patients can benefit from a multi-disciplinary method of combining several techniques such as transcranial pulsed electromagnetic field, biofeedback, brain stimulating games or exercises, chiropractic management of the cervical spine, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the use of fish oil, vitamin D3 with a gluten-free diet, etc.

Doctors of chiropractic are trained to identify these types of headaches and frequently team up with allied healthcare providers to form a “team” to BEST serve the patient’s needs. Though it is fortunate most headaches associated with car accidents gradually taper off by the three- to six-month point, it’s important to NOT lose hope for the less fortunate who continue to struggle with post-concussion syndrome headaches.

Reasons why you should see a Chiropractic Orthopedist (DABCO) after an auto accident.


A chiropractor who is a Diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Orthopedists (DABCO) has more extensive training in the subject than other chiropractors.  Chiropractic Orthopedist are committed to extensive ongoing education in the treatment and management of a wide array of orthopedic conditions that may require the use of advanced techniques.

  1. Chiropractic Orthopedists have extensive post graduate education on spine care
  2. They are trained to read MRI’s of your neck and back
  3. Advanced training in the Orthopedic and Neurological testing needed to evaluate auto injuries
  4. The Mastering of whiplash injury treatments to enhance healing
  5. Chiropractic Orthopedist’s are trained to document daily evaluations on treatments
  6. Proficient in at least 5 chiropractic techniques. This will better match up the individual and injury to the best technique, thus yielding better results
  7. Having a higher level of education, The Chiropractic Orthopedist can give expert testimonials in personal injury depositions and in court trials
  8. A Chiropractic Orthopedist proficient in Personal injury understands the phases of whiplash injuries and will treat each phase to completion. They also have the experience in using the various proven rehabilitation therapies to help injuries recover properly 

To become certified as a DABCO specialist, a Doctor of Chiropractic must complete a three- to four-year post-graduate training program and pass a rigorous written and clinical exam. He or she must also meet continuing education requirements in chiropractic orthopedics in order to qualify for periodic recertification every few years.
Dr. Alukonis received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree in 1982 and was Board certified a Chiropractic Orthopedist in 1993.

Dr. Steve Alukonis DC, DABCO, a Cocoa Beach native, has been treating the Space Coast area for 25+ years. The Space Coast Advanced Health staff and Dr. Alukonis have the experience and knowledge to help you through what comes after an auto accident so that all you have to do is worry about recovering.
We always help our patients file the proper claims in order to be covered for a car accident or work injury. 

25+ Years Experience


I have been treating auto injury patients in the Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island and Melbourne area for over 25 years. I am Board Certified in Chiropractic Orthopedics which places a strong emphysis on performing a high level of evaluation with orthopedics and neurological examination. Diagnosis of injuries, X-Ray analysis, MRI interpretation and treating neck, back injuries, TMJ, jaw injuries, soft tissue injuries, spinal disc injuries, headaches, shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and foot injuries sustained in auto accidents.

I am certified in impaiment ratings using the American Medical Associations Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment. Certification in Whiplash Evaluation from Dr. Arthur Croft at Spinal Research Institute of San Diego, California.
​
Our experienced staff has the knowledge to help you through the stresses of what comes after an accident, so all you have to do is focus on getting better.


Please call us at 321-783-1960 to schedule an appointment




Dr. Steve Alukonis is the only Diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Orthopedists in the Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral area and one of very few in the county. He has been in practice for over 25 years right here in the Cocoa Beach area.



Please visit our website to learn more about what we do at Space Coast Advanced Health





 by 
Location: 299 N Orlando Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL 32931, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

8 Reasons why you should see a Chiropractic Orthopedist (DABCO) after an auto accident.

Image
A chiropractor who is a Diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Orthopedists (DABCO) has more extensive training in the subject than other chiropractors.  Chiropractic Orthopedist are committed to extensive ongoing education in the treatment and management of a wide array of orthopedic conditions that may require the use of advanced techniques. Chiropractic Orthopedists have extensive post graduate education on spine care They are trained to read MRI’s of your neck and back Advanced training in the Orthopedic and Neurological testing needed to evaluate auto injuries The Mastering of whiplash injury treatments to enhance healing Chiropractic Orthopedist’s are trained to document daily evaluations on treatments Proficient in at least 5 chiropractic techniques. This will better match up the individual and injury to the best technique, thus yielding better results Having a higher level of education, The Chiropractic Orthopedist can give expert test...
Read more

Chronic Pain and Whiplash

Image
Most sprains and strains typically take six weeks to recover, provided the patient receives proper care, which may include self-management strategies. However, something is different about a whiplash associated disorders (WAD) injury in that many patients do not recover. At the Whiplash 2017 Symposium held in Australia, Dr. Michele Sterling stated, “Whiplash associated disorders are a costly burden to Australian society. Up to 50% of people who experience a whiplash injury will never fully recover. Whiplash is resistant to treatment and no early management approach has yet been shown to prevent chronic pain. We are hoping this study will provide a promising treatment for chronic pain.” Experts in the field presented important information about the development and prevention of disorders associated with a WAD injury such as chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression after trauma. The University of North Carolina’s Dr. Samuel McLean reported that app...
Read more

Can Damaged Nerves Regenerate?

Image
First, it’s important to realize that damage can occur when enough pressure is applied to any living tissue. The anatomy of our nerves includes many micro-structures such as the blood vessels that bring needed oxygen to the several layers of the nerve. If the nerve is deprived of oxygen long enough, there can be damage to its infrastructure, similar to a heart attack damaging the heart muscle.  A pinched nerve results in symptoms that include numbness, tingling, weakness, and in some cases, burning sensations. There are three stages of nerve damage that can be simplified into mild, moderate, and severe, and the ability for nerves to regenerate depends largely on the amount of damage and the length of time that has passed before treatment is sought out. Generally speaking, it has been well reported that the nerves that make up the peripheral nervous system (the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord) have the ability to regenerate, while those within the central nervou...
Read more