Common Types of Neck Injury
During our lifetime we may experience neck injury for a number of times. The neck is made of bones called vertebrae as well as muscles, ligaments and it also contains the spinal cord that is connected to the brain. The most common types of neck injury are the following: broken neck, slipped disc in neck, stiff neck and whiplash.
Broken Neck. A broken neck is a kind of injury wherein either one or many of the vertebrae of the bones in our neck is fractured. There are 7 vertebrae in our neck that can be broken due to over-rotation of the neck or over-extension. There are some cases when the fracture hits the muscles and even the spinal cord. These cases can cause quadriplegia or even death.
Slipped disc. In between each of the 7 vertebrae in our neck are 7 discs called intervertebral discs. We also have them in our lower back. Slipped disc injury is caused by continuous stress in these intervertebral discs. It is the most common injury of those who work in the factory or those who operate machines as well as those who use the computer in improper posture.
Stiff Neck. When you wake up in the morning and you find that your neck is stuck in one direction, this is a stick neck. It can be a symptom of other neck injuries or it can be a simple case of bones being stuck. But it is very dangerous to try to suddenly move the neck. The patient should go to the doctor first so that the doctor can see if there are other injuries in the neck.
Whiplash. This is the most common kind of neck injury suffered by those who had a car accident. Whiplash is caused by the sudden extension and then sudden contraction of the muscles and ligaments in the neck. When the car suddenly stops, the head move forward violently and then goes backward violently immediately after. Whiplash causes very severe pain to the person and they cannot do their daily activities because of the pain.
There are many other kinds of neck injuries. These are only the most common. If you suffer from any of these, you should go to the doctor immediately for treatment and to see if your spinal cord is not affected.