Neck pain caused by Roller Coaster in NYC

Too Much Fun: Whiplash Caused by Roller Coasters

Throughout this summer I have seen countless patients complaining of neck and low back pain brought on by riding a roller coaster. Locally here in NYC the biggest producer of neck and back injuries has to be the "Cyclone" in Coney Island, Brooklyn,New York. This roller coaster is one the oldest wood roller coaster around. I seriously think a Chiropractor should hand out their cards and the end of the ride.
Our NYC Physical therapy practice treats neck and back injuries with a combination of Chiropractic,Physical therapy and Massage. Did you hurt your neck on a roller coaster? Give us a call today at (212) 645-8151.


Riding Rollercoasters Can Cause Whiplash
Whiplash. We usually associate this word with car accidents, sports accidents or blows to the head. But whiplash caused by roller coasters? Though this information may seem to dampen the fun of taking crazy roller coaster rides in your favorite theme park, it doesn’t make it less real.

How to Avoid Whiplash
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out. All those loops, dives, crazy turns and up and down acceleration can cause serious damage to one neck and spinal chords. There have even been some reports of blood vessels rupturing and hematoma caused by roller coaster rides.

A friend of mine told me a story concerning her twelve-year-old son. After a day at a theme park, her son was complaining about an aching neck. Thinking that the boy had just strained a muscle or was simply tired, she ignored his complaints. The next day, the boy was unable to move his neck. Upon bringing him to the hospital, the doctor confirmed that the boy sustained a whiplash injury.

According to doctors, head and neck injuries while riding roller coasters can happen to anyone, regardless of age. You can be a young, healthy and at the peak of your strength and still get whiplash and other injuries. Of course, the older one gets, the greater the risk of slip disks and whiplash caused by sudden movement.

Does this mean we must all boycott roller coasters? The answer still lies with you. If you’re confident enough to ride a roller coaster knowing full well what the consequences might be, then go ahead and knock your socks off. But if you’d rather not, then don’t. An ounce of prevention saves you a bucket of cures.

One technique that I like is to be prepared for the coaster ride, be sure to be aware and ready when the Coaster takes off, all to ofen injuries occur when someone is suprised and their head is whipped back or side to side.
Also be sure to keep your head firmly planted back against the head rest, this prevents the whiplash movement.
Read the signs before getting on a coaster, they warn you about boarding a ride with previous neck and back injuries.

But for the adventurous, the important thing is to seek medical attention immediately after you start experiencing headaches, neck pain, neck swelling, muscle spasms or difficulty in neck movement. As with other sicknesses or injuries, the earlier whiplash is detected and treated, the faster you can get better.
Ice your neck right away if you suspect you suffered a whiplash type injury. Seek out a Chiropractor.
If you are in The NYC area and are looking for a Chiropractor visit my website at
www.drshoshany.com
or call (212)645-8151

Low-Level Lasers Effective in Chronic Neck Pain

I have used Low-level laser therapy or Cold laser therapy in my NYC practice for close to 7 years, I have found it to be extremely effective in reducing pain and dysfunction.
Cold laser therapy NYC

By John Gever, Senior Editor, MedPage Today
Published: November 13, 2009
Reviewed by Zalman S. Agus, MD; Emeritus Professor
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and
Dorothy Caputo, MA, RN, BC-ADM, CDE, Nurse Planner
Although no one is sure how it works, low-intensity laser therapy appeared to be effective in relieving chronic neck pain, researchers found in a meta-analysis.

Pooled data from 16 randomized, controlled trials indicated that most patients reported both short- and medium-term pain relief with the noninvasive treatment, according to Roberta T. Chow, MBBS, PhD, of the University of Sydney in Australia, and colleagues.

"The results of low-level laser therapy in this review compare favorably with other widely used therapies, and especially with pharmacological interventions, for which evidence is sparse and side effects are common," the researchers wrote online in The Lancet
The procedure involves shining low-intensity laser beams -- too weak to generate biologically significant heat -- usually at the back or side of the neck, targeting muscles, and vertebral joints. Wavelengths of 780, 810 to 830, or 904 nm are typically used. These beams are able to penetrate several centimeters of tissue.

Several possible mechanisms of action have been proposed. The radiation may have anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting prostaglandins and/or cytokines. Alternatively, it may reduce oxidative stress and muscle fatigue, with support from some animal studies and clinical experiments.

A third possibility is that the laser light alters nerve signalling at the neuromuscular junction or elicits overt nerve blockade.

Whatever the mechanism, however, the randomized, controlled studies included in the review showed a clear clinical benefit for the treatment.

None of the individual trials were very large -- the biggest (led by Chow herself) had 90 patients. In total, 820 patients participated in the 16 studies.

Five of the studies, with 122 patients, included the presence of global improvement, relative to sham treatment, as an outcome.

The relative likelihood of improvement with the laser treatment was 4.05 (95% CI 2.74 to 5.98), Chow and colleagues found.

In 11 trials with 333 patients, the weighted mean change in pain severity -- as reported by patients on a 100-mm analogue scale -- was 19.86 mm relative to controls (95% CI 10.04 to 29.68).

In four studies that measured pain severity 10 to 22 weeks after treatment ended, with a total of 86 patients, there was a weighted mean improvement from baseline of 23.44 mm at the end of follow-up (95% CI 17.11 to 29.77).

Overall, the researchers said, the trials "show moderate statistical evidence for efficacy of low-level laser therapy" for neck pain.

Limitations to the available evidence include the differences in laser treatments -- schedules and doses as well as wavelengths -- and in the varieties of neck pain with which patients had presented.

Current diagnostic terms "suggest distinct clinical entities; however, there is strong evidence that a definitive diagnosis of the causes of neck pain is not possible in a clinical setting," the researchers wrote.

They said adverse effects from treatment were minimal. Several studies reported increased tiredness.

The primary safety concern with the treatment is the possibility of inadvertently directing the laser into patients' eyes, Chow and colleagues said. Safety glasses would be required in all studies.

In an accompanying commentary, Jaime Guzman, MD, of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, B.C., said the existing evidence on low-level laser therapy still leaves many questions unanswered, especially on the mechanism of action.

Nevertheless, he said, "this evidence is more solid than that for many current interventions."

"Although mechanisms of action and effects on function and occupational outcomes are not clearly understood and warrant further impartial study, low-level laser therapy is an option worthy of consideration for management of nonspecific neck pain," Guzman wrote.

External funding for the study was not reported.

Chow and some co-authors reported relationships with the World Association for Laser Therapy and healthcare professional societies. No authors reported relationships with manufacturers of laser therapy devices.

Guzman declared he had no conflicts of interest.


Primary source: The Lancet
Source reference:
Chow R, et al "Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised placebo or active-treatment controlled trials" Lancet 2009; DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61522-1.

Additional source: The Lancet
Source reference:
Guzman J "Neck pain and low-level laser: Does it work and how?" Lancet 2009; DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61837-7.
Cold Laser therapy, Low-level laser therapy NYC
www.livingwellnewyork.com