Auto accident involving two cars

Whiplash Injuries and Whiplash Associated Disorder

Dear Neighbor, My name is Dr. Tom Menendez and I have been treating patients in Southern Indiana for over 30 years. One area of focus in my practice has been the evaluation and treatment of whiplash injuries, or more precisely, whiplash associated disorder/acceleration-deceleration trauma. This type of injury results from excessive force to the neck or spine from rear, front or side collisions in Auto Accidents, Falls and Sports Injuries.

Symptoms of whiplash injury to delicate spinal ligaments, discs, muscles, tendons and nerves may include neck pain, headache, back pain, numbness/tingling in arms or legs, cognitive difficulties, thoracic outlet syndrome, loss of mobility and even TMJ disorders.

A common myth regarding whiplash disorder from car accidents is that if the car showed little or no damage, then the occupants could not have been hurt. In fact, NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. Studies¹ have shown that even in low-speed rear-impact collisions (LOSRIC), the forces of impact are channeled directly to the occupants and magnified many times over. A 10 mph rear-end collision, for example, instantly transmits up to 6 g’s (six times the force of gravity) to the head and neck of the passengers or driver.

Think of it this way: Your car is like an egg carton in the grocery store. The carton might look fine on the outside, yet when opened up, the eggs inside are broken. Sadly, too many victims of “minor” car crashes suffer serious injuries, only to be told by an insurance adjuster that they are denying their medical bills because the car wasn’t damaged.

The truth of the matter is that there is no scientific evidence of a relationship between vehicle damage and occupant injury, NONE. And if you already have osteoarthritis or other back or neck problems at the time of the crash, then your injuries could prove to be much worse.² Worst of all, if left untreated, whiplash disorder can lead to prolonged and sometimes permanent disabilities from spinal misalignments and disc degeneration.³
As a Doctor of Chiropractic with additional certification in spinal trauma, I am not only qualified to diagnose (through physical examination as well as x-ray, digital motion x-ray, electrodiagnostic testing, MRI and CT scan – just like your MD) but also to safely manipulate, re-align and rehabilitate the delicate structures that may have been injured in an auto accident. Otherwise, the injury may only partially heal, leaving you with persistent pain and aggravation lasting many years.

By the way, I also have courtroom experience as an expert witness in accident cases and I can provide your attorney with detailed narrative reports as well as deposition testimony documenting whiplash injuries, the need for treatment, and prognosis for any future impairment.

If you have been involved in an Auto Accident, Fall, or Sports Injury (doesn’t matter if it was 2 days or 20 years ago) and think you may be suffering from whiplash associated disorder, please call our office today and schedule a FREE INITIAL EXAM AND CONSULTATION.

Tom Menendez, DC, CCST
(Doctor of Chiropractic / Chiropractic Certification in Spinal Trauma)

ADVANTAGE CHIROPRACTIC
101 Heritage Square,
Sellersburg IN 47172
812-246-BACK (2225)

1. British Medical Journal, 1985 / The Physiology of Whiplash, 1993
2. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 1983
3. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 2000-2001

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