by Ann Marie Dwyer

Created on: March 28, 2009

Neck pain associated with auto accidents costs insurance companies $8.8 billion per year. Neck sprains and strains are the most common injuries reported in auto accidents, according to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety.

Neck Injuries

When cars collide, the head moves relative to the torso and the neck is strained, sprained or pulled beyond its normal range of motion. The muscles of the neck are bruised or torn (soft tissue damage).

Symptoms include: reduced range of head or neck motion, pain in the shoulders and/or upper back, stiffness and neck muscle pain. Nerve damage and long-term symptoms can occur even in mild neck distortions.

Whiplash

Most often associated with rear-end crashes, whiplash occurs when the head moves backward beyond the neck's normal range of motion. More severe whiplash can cause dizziness, headaches and tingling in the arms.

Back Injuries

Common back injuries occur most often in side impact and offset front end crashes (not head-on). The back bends beyond its normal range of motion to one side, causing muscle strain or sprain. Back pain can last short times or be lifelong.

Spine Injuries

The spine is the set of bones protecting the spinal cord and extends from the skull to the pelvis. In auto accidents, the back and neck are often bent or twisted beyond the spine's ability to protect the spinal cord.

Severe compression of the neck can cause the vertebrae, the bones which make up the spine, to break or chip. Swelling from neck and back injuries can temporarily compress nerves causing numbness and tingling.

Discs between the vertebrae cushion the spine and spinal cord. When the discs are put under pressure from the back or neck responding to an auto accident, they can herniate or rupture.

A herniated disc has a bulge created from vertebrae pressing on it. This bulge can cause nerve damage or paralysis.

A ruptured disc has a shattered membrane and can no longer hold its shape. The vertebrae move closer together and press on the nerves running off the spinal cord to the rest of the body. Nerve damage, paralysis, limited motion and pain are symptoms of a ruptured disc.

Medical Treatment

If you suspect you or a passenger in your car have a neck, back or spine injury, do not move the injured person unless his life is in danger. Moving a person with a spine injury can cause permanent paralysis.

911 paramedics will immobilize the neck and spine of the injured person before moving him to a hospital. A doctor will x-ray or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

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