Neck Sprain Orthopaedic A neck sprain is a stretched ligament or muscle in the neck. It may be caused by a sudden impact that force the neck to quickly extend beyond its normal range, and then snap back forcefully. This is commonly called a whiplash injury. Causes Motorcar accidents, head jerking during amusement park rides, falls or being kicked on the head are the most common forms of impact that may cause a neck sprain. Symptoms • Neck pain that gets worse with movement • Shoulder pain and muscle spasms • Stiffness and difficulty moving the head in one or more direction • Tingling sensations or weakness in the arms • Headache
See a doctor soonest to rule out injury to spinal cord if the above symptoms happen after a whiplash incident. Diagnosis Your doctor will ask about the event’s happening and examine your posture, ability to move, and the position of your head and chin. Your doctor may also check on your reflexes, muscle strength in your
arms and whether or not you can detect sensations. X-rays, CT scan and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) may be ordered, as necessary. Treatment • Exercise: Rest your neck for a day or so and gradually increase range of movement of neck as soon as you are able to prevent stiffness. • Ice: Apply a bag of ice over a thin towel to the injured area for 20 minutes for the first 24 hours, to reduce inflammation. Do not put ice directly against the skin. • Heat: Apply a warm moist towel to relax the neck muscles, after the first 24 hours. • Cervical collar: You may be instructed to wear a soft cervical collar for two to three weeks to help manage your muscle spasm, neck fatigue and pain. • Medication: Analgesics (pain killers) and anti-inflammatory medication are usually prescribed to ease your pain,
reduce swelling and relieve discomfort. Rehabilitation You may be asked to go for a series of exercises to increase range of motion, or treatments recommend by physiotherapist.
Yishun Health is a network of medical institutions and health facilities of the National Healthcare Group. Admiralty Medical Centre • (65) 6807 8000 • www.admiraltymedicalcentre.com.sg Khoo Teck Puat Hospital • (65) 6555 8000 • www.ktph.com.sg Yishun Community Hospital • (65) 6807 8800 • www.yishuncommunityhospital.com.sg The information is correct at the time of printing and subject to revision without further notice.
OS.PE.09.1117