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Experiencing Upper Limb Weakness After an Accident? Read This

If you have been in a car accident and are experiencing weakness or tingling in your upper limbs, they could be the symptoms of a serious problem. This can be debilitating and frustrating since we use our arms hundreds of times a day for a multitude of tasks.

If you experience nerve or muscle damage that is affecting your strength following an accident, keep reading to learn how our team at Impact Medical Sun City Center can help you recover.

Upper Limb Weakness

Upper limb weakness can occur in all kinds of accidents, not just high-speed crashes. Even a minor rear-end collision can cause whiplash injuries that will affect the nerves, muscles, and tendons in your back, neck, arms, and shoulders.

You should always see a doctor following a car crash, but it is especially important to do so if you notice weakness or tingling in your arms or hands, as these can be a sign of nerve damage.

The causes of upper limb weakness following an auto accident include:

Disc Herniation or Spinal Misalignment

Often when arm weakness and pain develop, the underlying cause is in the cervical region of the spine. This can happen due to a jolt of energy during a car accident, where the spine is forced out of place, causing a disc herniation. This spinal misalignment or disc herniation can cause radiating pain and weakness in the upper limbs. 

Muscle Spasms

If your muscles are stretched past their limits during a car crash, they can become vulnerable to muscle spasms. This is your body’s way of protecting you from further injury. However, this overstretching of muscle fibers can weaken your upper limbs, and the subsequent muscle spasms can hinder muscle repair.

Nerve Damage

Upper arm weakness is often caused by nerve damage because when injured, nerves cannot carry out the functions that involve your muscles and tissues. Whiplash, lacerations and blunt-force trauma in a car accident can all damage your nerves and cause upper limb weakness.

Nerves carry signals throughout the body and are essential to its functioning. They can be damaged in a variety of ways including bruising, compression, tearing, or being crushed. The types of nerve damage include:

• Radiculopathy: Injuries to the roots of the nerves that branch off your spine.
• Peripheral neuropathy: Damage to the peripheral nerves outside of your brain and spinal cord, such as the median or ulnar nerves in your arms.
• Myelopathy: the compression or damage to your spinal cord.

Symptoms of Nerve Damage After a Car Accident

The most common nerve locations injured during a car accident are the spine and arms. Signs of nerve damage will differ depending on where you suffered the injury, but typically include:

• Numbness and tingling
• Shooting or radiating pain
• Muscle weakness
• Decreased range of motion
• Decreased or lost reflexes

While some of these symptoms can be resolved with chiropractic care or physical therapy, nerve damage is serious and can be permanent.

Treating Upper Limb Weakness

If you are experiencing upper arm weakness following an accident you must receive medical care as soon as possible. Our team at Impact Medical Sun City Center has treated victims of all kinds of car crashes, from high-speed to tame fender benders. As a result, we can accurately diagnose the source of your upper limb weakness and treat the pain that it may be causing.

Our chiropractic and physical therapy teams can manipulate your spine and adjust your muscles to alleviate the muscle weakness and pain and ensure that your central nervous system is functioning properly.

Spinal Decompression & Manual

Alongside chiropractic adjustments, you may also benefit from spinal decompression therapy. This is a non-surgical technique that uses flexion-distraction to increase the space between two or more vertebrae in the spine. It pulls herniated discs inward and away from nerve roots that are causing pain and weakness.

Soft tissue therapies like manual and physical therapy can do a world of good for those suffering from muscle weakness. Manual therapy can release muscle tightness that could be impairing nerve function after an accident. Further, physical therapy can help strengthen and develop atrophied muscles so your body can move better without pain or weakness.

Feeling Weak? We Can Help You Recover Your Strength

If you are feeling weakness in your upper limbs due to subluxations, pinched nerves, or herniated discs after an accident, don’t wait. Come visit our team at Impact Medical Sun City Center today.

We successfully treat these kinds of problems daily and can help you regain your mobility. Schedule an appointment today; 813-536-5892!

8 Ways to Reduce Neck and Back Pain While Gardening

While gardening can help ease stress and anxiety and be a great way to get out in the sunshine and get some Vitamin D, long periods of weeding and planting can exacerbate your neck and back problems.

Now, this doesn’t mean that you should cross gardening off your list of hobbies for good. With a few changes and some creativity, you can still exercise your green thumb and prevent pain with these eight tips from our team at Impact Medical Zephyrhills.

#1. Warm-Up

Believe it or not, gardening can be a real workout, so warming up and stretching your muscles before you start is a good idea. Try a brisk five-minute walk and some dynamic stretching exercises.

Stretching is an essential activity for gardeners because stretching:

• makes it easier to move
• taps into the strength of the muscles
• reduces the risk of injury
• improves balance and coordination
• decreases soreness in the following days after a day of gardening

To loosen your back muscles, try a gentle black-flexion exercise where you lie down on your back, then pull both needs to your chest while you bring your head forward. To reduce neck pain and fatigue, hold a long-handled tool in front of you with your hands spread wide. Keep your arms straight and reach up overhead until you feel a slight stretch.

If you already deal with existing back pain, ask your physician or physical therapist which stretches are the best for you.

#2. Lift with Support

Lifting heavy plant pots, bushes, or full watering cans without proper back support can injure the muscles, ligaments, and discs in your back. To lift heavy items more ergonomically, begin by squatting—not by bending your waist. Use both hands to hold the object, keep it close to your body, and slowly straighten your legs as you come to a standing position.

To minimize heavy lifting, use a wagon or dolly to help transport heavy items throughout your garden. Fill watering cans halfway or consider using soaker hoses or an automated irrigation system instead.

Tip: Depending on existing neck or back problems, garden chores that involve heavy lifting or twisting may be best left to others to complete.

#3. Take Breaks

We know it can be easy to lose track of time when you love being out in your garden. But make sure to take frequent breaks to stretch and hydrate yourself.

Also, try to avoid doing the same kind of task such as weeding or pruning for a long period. Switch to another activity and rotate through your garden tasks periodically.

#4. Add Cushion with Knee Pads

If you want to kneel at ground level without hurting your back, choose wearable or movable knee pads. These pads use multiple layers of foam to maximize cushioning and protect your knees while gardening.

When choosing knee pads, make sure that they are good quality, fit correctly, and have sturdy straps.

#5. Try Specialized Tools

Specialized long-handled tools can eliminate much of the bending and twisting required by weeding and planting in the garden. Long-handled trowels can be especially helpful if bending forward causes or worsens your neck or back pain.

Other accessibility-focused tools include:

• Long-handled adjustable sprayers
• Long-handled steel weed-puller
• Short-handled utility shovel for when you are close to the ground or seated
• Foldable wheelbarrow

#6. Bring the Plants to You

If in-ground gardening is becoming a pain in your neck, consider using raised beds that are 2-3 feet off the ground. Some sturdy raised beds include an edge where a gardener can sit when planting or harvesting fruits, vegetables, or herbs. They are often wheelchair accessible as well.

Planters that are designed to attach to a balcony can also be a great option for flowers or her garden because they bring your plants right to your level, no bending necessary!

#7. Grow in Containers

Growing plants in containers can make gardening super easy. In addition to flowers, you can grow lettuce and other vegetables in larger containers.

Wheeled plant caddies can be used to move heavier pots around to protect your back from lifting, pushing, or pulling motions.

#8. Think Outside the Box

Along the way, you may discover that you need to scale back your garden. Think about what is most important to you and what you can let go of or assign to others to complete. For example, if you just can’t live without your favorite annual flowers, plant them in a small area for a pop of color, and then emphasize low maintenance plants such as ground covers, elsewhere in the garden.

Also, you may want to consider having someone else handle the weeding if it’s the repetitive motions that are causing your back and neck pain. If you can’t avoid weeding, mulch your garden to discourage weed growth. Mulch also holds in moisture, so you won’t need to spend as much time watering. It’s a win-win!

Prevent Neck and Back Pain with Impact Medical

Don’t give up your favorite gardening pastime if you have neck or back pain, treat and prevent it with our team at Impact Medical Zephyrhills! From physical therapy and chiropractic care to interventional pain management, we can help you feel your best so you can spend your time out in the sunshine doing what you love best!

Ready to live pain-free? Call Impact Medical Zephyrhills to schedule a consultation today; 813-737-7965!

Where Would I Feel Whiplash Pain?

Whiplash can be caused by a number of reasons. The most common event where someone would experience whiplash is during a car accident, but it can also happen on a boat, roller coaster, or even from a simple fall. The action of the neck experiencing trauma from the head being jerked back and forth is what causes this injury, but where would you start feeling pain? The experts at Impact Medical Cutler Bay are here to educate you on whiplash and what you can do if it happens to you.

Where Does Whiplash Pain Occur?

Although the injury itself stems from the neck, various whiplash symptoms can spread to different areas of the upper body. These parts include:

• The front and back of the neck
• The upper and middle back
• The head
• Both shoulders
• Both arms

While most symptoms involve physical pain or debilitation, whiplash can also affect the brain due to nerves in the spine being impacted. Damage to the brain can alter cognition in motor functions, reasoning, and even state of mind. Victims of whiplash have been known to develop signs of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Neck Region

The neck is the center of most whiplash injuries even if the symptoms don’t immediately show. You could experience stiffness and lack of mobility when attempting to turn your head on top of overall pain. Neck injuries need to be treated before they can spread to the spine and shoulders which are right next door.

Upper and Middle Back

Because the neck is directly connected to the spine, there is a huge possibility of feeling pain in the upper and lower back. Slipped or damaged discs and direct impacts can lead to an entire mess of issues including both sharp and dull pain, bruises, and tenderness. Spinal damage can also affect the nerves.

Head and Brain

Nerve damage can have an indirect impact on the brain such as lack of motor function, increased memory loss, and general headaches. These symptoms are definitely not to be slept on as they can lead to lifelong mental illness. On a more physical level, whiplash can cause severe headaches that could be extremely debilitating and even induce nausea.

Arms and Shoulders

If whiplash pain spreads to the shoulders, you could experience muscle spasms, tenderness, and pain. These symptoms can make their way to the arms and limit your range of motion when attempting regular movements.

What to Do If You Get Whiplash

Because of the chance of symptoms evolving into chronic injuries that can last a lifetime, it’s important to get diagnosed by a physical therapist or chiropractor as soon as you can. Even if it feels like you’re not suffering from any injuries, there could be underlying problems that have yet to show themselves. Chronic, long-lasting symptoms can include:

• More intense neck pain
• Worse range of motion
• Radiating pain spread throughout shoulder and arms

Think you could be suffering from whiplash? Visit us before it gets worse! Make an appointment with Impact Medical Cutler Bay today by calling 305-363-7446.

Here’s What to Do if You’ve Been Hit by a Self-Driving Car

The future of driving is not driving at all. Self-driving cars may not be the norm yet, but it’s well on its way with revolutionary advancements through engineering and the passing of corresponding laws. Just recently, Florida passed a bill that allows autonomous vehicles to operate without a driver present. That sounds incredible, but it doesn’t come with consequences. Accidents can still happen, but here’s a quick guide from the kind staff at Impact Medical Lutz on what you can do if you get hit by a self-driving car.

Autonomous Vehicle Laws

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, it is now legal to test and run an autonomous vehicle without a human operator present in 18 states. Florida is included in this handful of locations as we head towards a driverless future.

The most recent 2021 Florida Statute claims that, “Notwithstanding any other law, a licensed human operator is not required to operate a fully autonomous vehicle” and that “a fully autonomous vehicle may operate in this state regardless of whether a human operator is physically present in the vehicle.”

This is an exciting development in the car industry, but it also means that there will likely be more cases of victims being involved in driverless accidents. So, what do you do if it happens to you?

The Party at Fault

With new advancements come reworked laws, and it’s not always black and white. Depending on the specifics, the person at fault in an accident with an autonomous vehicle could be anybody. Examples of those in fault include:

• The driver (if present) of the self-driving car failing to take control of the vehicle in time to prevent the collision
• The driver of the non-autonomous vehicle for reckless driving such as speeding or not taking precautions when making turns or changing lanes
• The vehicle manufacturer for producing and selling faulty equipment which was responsible for the accident

Now that new technology has entered the scene, it will take some time for laws surrounding self-driving cars to be fine-tuned as more incidents come to light.

What to Do in an Accident

When it comes to what steps to take after a collision with an autonomous vehicle, you should really treat it the same as any other accident. Calling emergency services and authorities should always come first in case any lives may be at stake. From there you can file a report and begin making a claim with your insurance company. Even if you feel fine in the moment, there are certain injuries that don’t show right away. This is why it’s highly recommended to visit a chiropractor or physical therapist to follow up on your health.

Looking Out for Your Body

Possible injuries that can appear after an accident include:

• Soft tissue damage
• Whiplash
• Pinched nerves
• Herniated discs

Chiropractic care can heal your tendons, ligaments, and muscles which are all extremely vulnerable to damage in a car accident and can affect your ability to perform basic daily activities. If you’re suffering from poor range of motion in your limbs or notice a weakness in your overall muscle strength, regular physical therapy sessions can restore your body back to normal.

Get Treated Today!

If you’ve been hit by a self-driving car, get a full diagnosis at Impact Medical Lutz to get the treatment you need. We’ll make sure your body is back in working order so you can keep living your life to the fullest! Call us today at 813-536-4271 to schedule your appointment.