Question
Hi, I'm at my wits end with trying to get help for a whiplash injury in a rear impact auto accident. It happened almost 3 months ago, I was hit from behind, I was stopped at a red light when I looked in rearview mirror and realized the car behind me wasn't slowing down at all. She hit my van at a speed over 70km/hr. I had braced myself, right hand was on steering wheel, my left hand had been on armrest, but I think I extended it, holding my arm straight forward toward  dashboard.

When I attempted to get out of vehicle, I couldn't open door with left arm, was immediately, tense, sore, dazed and shocked.

I sought medical treatment that day, diagnosed as whiplash 2, they originally thought shoulder pain was from neck, then thought it was frozen shoulder, then tendonitis.

The pain is in left side of neck,at base of skull, in left shoulder, 3 points at rotator cuff, in my left arm, sometimes its so swollen, feels like a rubber band tightening around arm. Neck gets stiff, tense, shoulder is constant discomfort, have had tingling in hand/fingers. I also get a crackling in neck, like the rice krispies sound, sometimes its a very loud pop.

I have been in physio for over 2 months, ice/heat, many different meds, can no longer take ibuprofen due to stomach, tried massage therapy, and I was in so much pain later that day, across shoulders, in upper back, I couldn't lay on back, nor sit back in a chair as pain was severe.

I don't have a family dr, shortage of drs in town so I use urgent care but each dr has a different opinion.

I did my own research for an orthopedic surgeon, got a referral and appointment for 4 months, which is quick, most is a year to get in, and demanded an mri, still waiting for my appointment to be set up but it will probably take about 3 months for it.

I had 3 xrays, neck and shoulder and an ultrasound on shoulder all which were negative. My physiotherapist says there'sa lot more going on than the whiplash, any ideas, tips, help would be so greatly appreciated as some days are hard to get through. I no longer have a normal life, can't go back to work, requires overhead lifting, many times I can no longer do much socializing because of pain/discomfort, can't sleep much, and I just want to get my life back without pain, or so much of it. Even typing this has been so difficult, please offer ome advice, thank you so much!!!!!

Answer
Dear Darlene,

Sorry to hear your situation.

If you were my client, I would be checking your neck for muscular contractions.  Your description indicates that I would find them where you're feeling them.

There are nerves that exit the neck and go to the arm that, when compressed by contracted muscles, cause the symptoms and loss of function you're describing.  Presumably, your other examinations have ruled out tissue damage, so your problem is almost certainly muscular.

Whiplash injuries commonly provoke muscular contractions of this type.  Please see my article on whiplash at somatics.com/page4.htm.

Somatic training can enable you to recapture control of those muscles from the protective reflexes that keep them so tight.  A few sessions would be required.

Check the article and then, if you wish, contact me again.

with regard,
Lawrence Gold