Whiplash :: Healthy Lifestyles and Natural Weight Loss Information

Whiplash

Symptoms

Whiplash causes painful muscle stiffness in the neck. The tense muscles can pinch nerves and cause numbness, burning and tingling in the arms and fingers. In severe cases, whiplash can lead to weakness and paralysis of the arm muscles. Other symptoms associated with mild whiplash injuries are *headaches and *ear ringing. The *pain can prevent sleep and hinder concentration.

Causes

Whiplash occurs when the body is suddenly thrust forward and then backward while the head remains stationary. This action typically occurs when someone is rear-ended in a car accident. Through this sudden jarring movement, the ligaments and muscles of the neck are pulled and strained, and the nerves get pinched. In some cases, the *joints and *disks are injured. The extent of the whiplash injury depends on the force of the crash, as well as the position of the body and neck muscles at the time of injury.

Nutrition

Add raw wheat germ to your cereal every morning. Wheat germ is the best dietary source of vitamin E, which plays an important role in rebuilding muscle tissue. Wheat germ also contains magnesium to help relax tense neck muscles. For breakfast, eat a rolled-oats muesli with raisins, grated apple or sunflower seeds. Oats provide silica for tissue building and B vitamins to relax muscles and nerves.

Chewing on nuts will provide nutritional support for recovery from whiplash. Pecans are an excellent source of vitamin E, and cashews and almonds are rich in magnesium. All nuts provide protein and essential fatty acids. Vitamin E and magnesium are also found in green vegetables. Eat at least two large salads of raw, green vegetables such as spinach, leeks, kale or broccoli daily with a flax seed oil, lemon and yogurt dressing.

Nutritional Supplements

To relieve tense muscles and speed tissue healing, herbal baths and compresses, tinctures and teas provide comprehensive treatment.

The silica contained in horsetail is excellent to help rebuild tissue. Take 3 cups of horsetail tea or 15 drops of tincture diluted in water three times daily for a couple of weeks.

Drink St. John’s wort and lemon balm tea to ease the pain and calm the nerves.

To relax tense muscles and speed healing, use St. John’s wort oil, essential oil of lavender or horsetail for herbal packs.

A compress of fresh comfrey leaf pulp reduces pain and speeds healing. It encourages cell regrowth in connective tissue and bones, and absorbs the pooled blood from bruises.

Add 5 drops each of arnica, comfrey and thyme essential oils to a hot bath to stimulate blood flow to the area. This speeds healing and repairs damaged tissue.

Alternate essential oils with an infusion of finely chopped fir or pine buds and needles added to bath water. The neck should be kept warm at all times.

Homeopathy

Choose one of the remedies below in a 6c strength, repeating four times daily until symptoms improve, or for two weeks, dissolving 2 tablets under the tongue.

Arnica is often indicated for the first symptoms after head injuries, including whiplash, especially when aching, *bruising and some shock result from the accident.

Hypericum will heal injured nerves when tingling and shooting pains extend down the arm. It may follow several doses of Arnica.

If stiffness is most prominent and is worse in the morning but better with movement and heat, Rhus toxicodendron is helpful.

Tissue Salts

For relief of specific symptoms, see ear ringing, headache, neck pain and pain

External/Physical Therapies

Bedrest is not recommended for *neck pain sufferers, except when disabling accidents like fractured cervical vertebra or ruptured cervical disks require it.

The best sleeping position is on your back. The fetal position is next best. Use a flat pillow, so as not to raise the head above the neck. Lying on your stomach is the worst position, as it puts the most pressure on your neck, and strains the rest of your spine.

In the first forty-eight hours, apply ice on the neck. Afterwards, apply moist heat, such as hot showers, hot towels or hot cabbage-leaf packs.

For chronic neck pain, *stress reduction, changing daily activities and habits, posture improvement and neck exercises are essential.

The neck should be kept warm at all times.

Gentle manipulation by a chiropractor, physiotherapist or massage therapist is beneficial in most cases. A full-body massage with special attention to the neck is more relaxing and beneficial than a neck massage alone.

Reflexology

Work the reflexes of the neck and spine, as illustrated, for about half an hour daily, until the condition improves.

Available Brand Name Products

Nutritional Supplements

Ascorbate/Non-acidic Vitamin C

Ester-C)

Flax Oil (Flora)

Flax-O-Mega 1000 mg (Flora)

Udo’s Choice: Ultimate Oil Blend (Flora)

Udo’s Choice: Ultimate Oil Blend Capsules (Flora)

Calcium and Magnesium Citrate (Natural Factors)

E 400 IU Mixed Tocopherol 100% Natural (Natural Factors)

Ester C (Natural Factors)

Flax Seed Oil 1000 mg (Natural Factors)

Flax Seed Oil Liquid (Natural Factors)

Glucosamine Sulfate (Natural Factors)

Herbal Remedies

FloraSil (Flora)

Horsetail Leaves (Flora)

Muscle and Joint (Natural Factors)

Natural Pain Ease (Natural Factors)

Silica Extract 500 mg (Natural Factors)

St. John’s Wort Extract (Natural Factors)

Silica-Power (Nature’s Herbs)

St. John’s-Power (Nature’s Herbs)

Homeopathy

Arnica (Nelsons Homeopathy)

Hypericum (Nelsons Homeopathy)

Rhus Tox (Nelsons Homeopathy)

Source: Encyclopedia of Natural Healing by Siegfried Gursche and Zoltan Rona

Fitness for the Type A Personality
Let’s get one thing perfectly clear from the start--this article is not for couch potatoes! We’re talking about Type A personalities. You know the type. Their mantra is "What’s worth doing is worth overdoing.

Happy Trails
When you’re in the great outdoors, allergies, the sun and bugs can all put a damper on your fun. No matter how careful you are, accidents happen. That’s why everyone needs a first aid kit.

Natural Pain Relievers
Before you take that pill for your aches and pains, take note: more people die each year of bleeding ulcers caused by non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) than from cocaine abuse..

Chronic Pain
Sure, pain may be a sign that something’s wrong. You jam your knee during sports, or bang your thumb while hammering.

Neural therapy: Pain, pain, go away
Pain is one of the most common conditions for which patients seek medical attention. The cause of pain can be due to trauma such as motor vehicle accidents, inflammatory and degenerative conditions such as rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, or metabolic problems such as headaches, cancer and organ disease.

Banish Pain with Bowen Therapy
Bowen is a gentle manipulation of muscles at key points in the body to stimulate the flow of energy and fast-track the healing process. “Let’s do it right here on the trail,” suggested my hiking partner.

Pulling the Plug on Pain
Pain has a purpose. It’s part of the body’s inflammatory response - telling us that something needs fixing. Its message cannot be ignored or masked with painkillers. The underlying cause needs to be addressed.

Nature's Pain Killers
Pain is a fact of life that afflicts millions of North Americans, both young and old, on a daily basis. From strenuous physical activity to injuries, we face pain. As we age, we are less able to deal with the stressors in our lives that cause pain..

Cupping: Promoting Circulation with Suction Cups
Cupping is a traditional healing technique that promotes circulation and detoxification by stimulating the skin with the application of suction cup.

Bites and Scratches
Scratches from animals are not usually serious unless an infection ensues or the *wound is deep. Cat scratches can cause an illness called cat-scratch fever, an infection that inflames the wound and causes typical *flu-like symptoms within about two weeks of the scratch.

Black Eye

Bone Fractures
A fracture can occur in any bone in the body, including the vertebrae or the ribs, although it is most common in the extremities. Broken bones are called simple fractures when the skin is intact and compound fractures when the skin is broken.

Burns
Even the most superficial burns can be very tender, but they are neither serious nor do they inflict lasting scar.

Cuts

Feet, Burning
Clinically called erythromelalgia, burning-feet syndrome causes feet to suddenly burn and redden with heat. In some cases, the burning is an intensely painful experience. For others, it is only bothersome. Walking on a cold floor relieves symptoms and feels good.

Feet, Sore
Feet are often sore after a day_s work, when standing or pounding pavement for hours has worn out the muscles and ligaments of the feet. If you have been on your feet all day, it is likely they are swollen and sore from the extra pressure on the venous and lymphatic systems.

Gangrene
Gangrene occurs when tissues are destroyed and deteriorate over a large area. In dry gangrene, the dead and dying tissue turns black. The first sign of gangrene is *pain, and the skin becomes cold and pale. As the tissues die, the pain turns to numbness and the skin color darkens..

Jellyfish Sting
A jellyfish sting, like a *snake bite, affects the body internally and externally. Local injury includes *pain, *itching or swelling with the sting, as well as redness, *rash or numbing sensation. The numbness can be quite serious, depending on the size of the sting.

Muscle Cramps

Muscle Weakness
Unused muscles due to injury or *convalescence will not only lose strength, but their shape and weight fairly quickly. Muscle weakness often accompanies exhaustion experienced during the flu or with *chronic fatigue syndrome.

Neck Pain
Constant or recurring neck pain is a common problem today. It is often related to bad posture combined with tension and *stress that is unloaded onto the shoulders. Neck pain is felt in the muscles, causing aching, soreness, and stiffness.

Neuralgia
Nerves conduct the sense of touch to the brain, so when they are irritated, the *pain can be excruciating. Pain characterizes all kinds of neuralgia. Typical nerve pains are severe, shooting or recurring attacks. They are brought on by movement or just occur on their own.

Pain
Pain is the body_s mechanism for alerting the conscious mind of a problem. Feeling pain is vital to survival. The actual cause of pain remains a myster.

Poisoning
Symptoms of poisoning vary considerably depending on the substance. Swallowing corrosive substances found in drain and toilet cleaners causes severe *burns in the throat and esophagus. If the substance was strong enough and the amount substantial, shock can develop quickly.

Puncture Wound

Recuperation and Recovery

Restless Leg Syndrome
Restless leg syndrome, especially at night, is not uncommon. The legs will itch, tickle or burn. Moving them brings only fleeting relief. Seconds or minutes later, the irresistible urge to move returns. It can be so annoying that it hinders sleep and causes frequent waking.

Snake Bite
Many people who live in cities in Canada and the United States are never confronted with the potential danger of bites from venomous snakes. Not all snakes are poisonous and, of those that are, not all cause severe sickness.

Wounds and Cuts
Special care should be taken with deep cuts and puncture wounds, which are more susceptible to infection since they do not always bleed or allow oxygen to enter and eliminate infectio.

Taming the Pain
I can summarize what I was taught about treating chronic pain in medical school in two sentences: Use Tylenol or Motrin. If the patient has cancer, you can use narcotics if you have to.

Campaign to Discredit Natural Therapies

MSM: A Look Into the Future of Pain Relief

Muscle Pain
Dr Leyton:I am 66 years old and when I wake up after eight hours of sleep I’m in violent pain all over my body. I’m also so stiff it’s a great effort to put my socks on or my leg muscles will cramp.

Medical Marijuana or Reefer Madness?
Canadian patients, through their doctors and with Health Canada authorization, have had access to medicinal marijuana since 1999. Meanwhile, study results in July 2007 confirmed earlier work linking marijuana use by young people to a significantly increased risk of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.