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| Head
and Neck Injury Advice Needed |
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Question:
I knocked my noggin
around last weekend in an endo at a local track and was just
wondering about symptoms I am having.
I think I hit my head twice in the fall and did see some serious
stars, and the next day (Sunday) and today my neck is pretty sore.
I did not get knocked out and was only slightly confused after
the crash. I felt fine after about 15 minutes and rode around
pretty slow and did a few jumps to air out some cob webs.
The pain in my neck is in the large tendons that are most visible
when you turn your head far to either side. They hurt most when I
turn my head and push on them. I also hit my shoulder (broke the
collarbone in June, but it came through OK as far as I can tell...
only new pains were in muscles and they've pretty much subsided)
and scratched up my arm, but these are really nothing.
This last possible symptom probably has nothing to do with the
crash, but it popped up at about the same time, so I figure I'll
mention it too. Once I got home and still today, my voice is
pretty hoarse and weak and my throat hurts, although I'm sure I
just picked up a bug or something.
So here are my questions:
* I've been in accidents (bike and car) before where I've bumped
my head pretty hard, but I don't recall having neck pains similar
to these. Has anyone else found such neck pains to result from
a minor head injury?
* How long is an injury like this going to be susceptible to
re-aggravating itself?
* How long would you let such pains persist before you saw a
doctor?
* The helmet is pretty scratched up. Should I replace it?
Answer:
See a Doctor right now. Never hurts to be safe.
Your pains are a result of a neck injury. You probably twisted or
whiplashed your neck when you crashed. Depends on the injury and it's extent will determine how long the pain will last. Check with your doctor.
People have been known to have broken necks that
have been diagnosed days of longer after the injury. The only 'quad' you
want to hear about is the kind with 4 wheels.
And replace your helmet, not because of the scratches, but because the condensed styrofoam
is probably shot.
I had this same type of pain when I went over backwards on a snowboard
and whalloped my head on the ice. The pain is probably from tensing
up and then having your head yanked back by force of gravity and your
neck rmuscles trying desperately not to let your head hit the ground.
I went to the doctor the next day.
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