By: Bimol Bee
Submitted: 2011-12-03 08:30:55 | Word Count: 516
A cervical collar is also called a neck brace and serves as a significant orthopedic device that can be used in several major ways offering support to the spinal column. Further you're going to learn how to use cervical collars in a right manner in order to make it maximally useful. Nevertheless, before using a cervical collar it's recommended to consult your physician who'll help you to correctly use a cervical collar for your specific state of health.
Traumatic Neck And Head Injuries
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The first case when a cervical collar is needed includes a traumatic neck or different head injuries such as fracture and dislocation. It's important to emphasize that a cervical collar should be administered by medical professionals, especially if you've got a serious neck injury. The doctor will fix a cervical collar in such a way it stabilizes the cervical area of an injured person's spinal cord and skull. Having a cervical collar on this area a person is protected from possible spinal damage and subsequent paralysis and even death. The cervical collar is used to stabilize the upper seven vertebrae (C1 through C7) before a complete medical diagnosis which ascertains whether there is a more serious risk present.
The usage of cervical collar during recovery
The second case when a cervical collar can be used is during recovery from a traumatic neck or some head injury as well as after a spinal surgery. In this way the patient is recommended to wear this medical device until complete healing.
The usage of cervical collar for treating whiplash, its therapeutic usage
Cervical collars are also often used for treatment of different chronic medical conditions connected with the neck and spine area, for instance, while realigning the spinal cord and in the course of treating whiplash and sprains. By the way, whiplash is the direct result of injury of the soft tissues around the cervical spine. Whiplash is usually caused by hyperextension and sudden rotation. Fortunately, this health problem can be successfully treated with a soft cervical collar, although the latest researches in this field witness that recovery time can be accelerated due to treatment that also includes physical therapy and proper exercise.
Cervical radiculopathy
Different tumors, disk herniation, and some traumas can result in nerve root damage leading to cervical radiculopathy. Earlier, this state of health was usually corrected with surgery, but current studies have witnessed that this condition can be successfully treated with a cold enough rest, proper therapy, advised exercise as well as the use of a hard cervical collar. Nevertheless, these methods of treatment should be discussed with your physician, the one specializing in spines.
Neck pain
Unfortunately, neck pain is a common state nowadays and a highly enigmatic condition due to the complexity of the nervous system. As it's too difficult to define root causes of neck pain it's also complicated to treat this illness. As cervical collars aren't routinely used for treating neck pain, they should be used under the supervision of a physician.
Remember that this information doesn't supply or replace advice from a medical professional, so before treatment consult the doctor.
