Alright, so this post I guess is to explain a little bit of what I'm dealing with...A few of the conditions, and the issues that I've had since my accident...
I think that one of the major issues that I've had has been 'whiplash'
Whiplash
Pain in the neck, shoulders, head or the base of the skull that occurs after a motor vehicle accident is often called “whiplash.” Most patients with whiplash recover in a few weeks or at most, a few months, but 15 to 20% of people (I am in that 15-20 percentile) develop chronic pain. Whiplash is not a trivial problem, because once it has occurred, only 70% have recovered completely by one year and only 82% have recovered completely by two years. (Now, I know that seems like a lot, because when I first read it I thought it was too...but when you are in that 18% that didn't get better...18% seems pretty big.)
In addition to neck pain, there are many symptoms associated with the whiplash syndrome and include sleep problems, poor concentration and memory, blurry vision, ringing in the ears, fatigue, and weakness. (All of these symptoms have been a regular part of my life for almost 3 years now)
Whiplash: The causes of the pain
It is the patient with persistent pain without any other specific findings on examination or specialized tests that presents the most problems for the patient himself or herself, the doctors, and the legal system. (Which I have had one hell of a time with)In the first few weeks to months after motor vehicle accident, it is often impossible to determine the exact cause or causes of the pain. The symptoms and signs are not sufficiently specific. In almost every instance, the muscles and ligaments have been strained and may be inflamed, painful, and tender. However after about 3 months, primary muscle or other soft tissue injuries usually have healed.
The most common causes of persistent pain in whiplash are the facet joints and the discs. There is a poor correlation between the radiographic appearance of the joints and whether they are painful. Some joints which look bad are painless while other joints that look normal can be proven to be a source of pain. (Isn't that a bitch?) Only facet injections can determine whether the joint is painful. (I have just had two facet joint injections and I felt better for a short span of time, but apparently I am one of those people that the injections don't go well with...It works for a few weeks, a month if I'm really lucky and then that's it...Over)
In a research study by Drs. Bogduk and Aprill, in 23% of patients, facet joints alone were the cause of pain, in 20% of patients the discs alone were the cause of pain, and in 41% of patients both the facet joints and discs were contributing. They were not able to identify the source of the pain in only 17% of their patients.
Whiplash: Associated symptoms
Many whiplash patients have symptoms which seem unexplainable, such as headaches (check), pain in the shoulders (double check), between the shoulder blades(triple check), or in one or both arms (I don't have pain in my arms often, but when I do...Man it's there with a vengeance).
There may be fatigue(check), dizziness(check), problems with vision(I really couldn't tell you..I'm blind as a bat), ringing in the ears(check), heaviness in the arms, and low back pain(check). There can be poor concentration or memory(check), change in emotions with irritability(SUPER check), depression or short temper(check), and sleep disturbance(A zillion times, check).
Dizziness occurs in one-quarter to one-half of people with whiplash injury. Again, researchers are not sure of the cause. The most likely explanation is an injury to the part of the inner ear that regulates balance. Problems with memory and concentration can be due to the pain itself, depression, medications, or trauma to the brain. Visual disturbances occur in 10 to 30% of whiplash patients and blurred vision is the most common.
Whiplash: Long-term Outcome
Fortunately, most people who suffer neck pain after a whiplash injury will recover by six months. However, a small percentage of people continue to have pain.
Most patients destined to recover completely will have done so by three to four months(Well, I'm screwed), after which the rate of recovery slows markedly. By two years, essentially all patients have reached their individual maximum improvement.(NOt what I like to hear, as I am about 2 months away from it being three years) About 18% continued to have significant pain two years after the accident! (That's me!) Patients who did not get well tended to be older(Nope), had pain which began sooner after the accident (my pain began the day of the accident..), and/or had their head rotated to either side at the time of impact. They also found that patients who, before the accident, had a history of neck pain, arthritis of the neck, or headaches did not do as well(Nope).
Okay, another one of the things that has been hell the last three years...
Post Traumatic Stress DisorderI would like to start off by saying that I am a 21 year old female....That doesn't drive. I am a 21 year old female that has difficulty BEING in a vehicle...My accident was on a Sunday afternoon...Coincidentally, the week before, I had been studying for my learners test, and planned on taking the test the following Monday.
Common PTSD effects include extreme fear, depression, and anxiety.
Symptoms of PTSD
PTSD symptoms are numerous and can sometimes be confused with other mental ailments. It is important not to hide your symptoms or deny them in any way, as this can interfere with diagnosis. There are three categories of symptoms associated with the disorder: intrusion, avoidance, and hyperarousal symptoms.
Intrusion: Intrusion symptoms arrive suddenly and occur when memories of the past event invade your current life. The most common intrusion symptom is the flashback. Flashbacks are vivid memories that can be triggered by sights, smells, or sounds, and cause you to relive the traumatic experience over and over again. These flashbacks can seem very real and are often detailed and filled with emotion. Another intrusion symptom is the nightmare, which can occur unexpectedly, causing extreme anxiety and fear.
Avoidance: Avoidance symptoms describe a sufferer's unconscious attempts to prevent remembering anything to do with the traumatic event. These signs of post-traumatic stress disorder often interfere with family relationships, marriages, and careers. You may avoid being with family and friends in order to hide your illness. You may experience an overall feeling of numbness. You may alternate between feelings of intense emotion and simply no emotion at all. Consciously and unconsciously you will avoid reminders of the traumatic events in order to escape flashbacks. Depression is often an avoidance symptom.
Hyperarousal: Hyperarousal symptoms are the result of stimulated nerves and hormones. You may experience severe insomnia, trouble remembering the entire traumatic event, and difficulty concentrating. You may experience irritability or explosions of emotion for no apparent reason and more frequent startling responses.
Physical symptoms are often part of the PTSD syndrome, as well. Headaches, stomach problems, dizziness, and chest pain are all commonly experienced by sufferers of the disorder. You may also experience nausea, diarrhea, skin problems, rapid heart beat, and high blood pressure.
Well, I'm just trying to educate people a little bit :) And that's all I have for now. I'm about to pass out from pain...And if you read my previous blog post...You understand that I am in quite the predicament.
