Fell from horse- potential whiplash or something else?

[AnnShh]

Yesterday I was out on a trail ride with my horse. As we were cantering through an open part of the trail, he tripped pretty significantly. I wasn't prepared for that to happen and as a result I flew off to his left. It was a freak thing and I'm very lucky I didn't hit a tree. However, I did land head/neck first. Immediately I experienced the fuzzy/dizzy feeling, but that went away within 10 or so seconds. Adrenaline was pumping as I didn't feel injured and I got up and walked back to the barn (my boss was ready to get in the ATV to come looking for me, as she saw my horse run back with out me). The first thing out of my mouth was "I hit my head but I think I'm ok". I felt fine... my helmet on the other hand was dented and cracked. Luckilly I was wearing one. My boss had me stick around for awhile to keep an eye on me and after I continued to feel fine she let me go home. I never blacked out, I remember everything exactly as it happened, etc. No headaches and no confusion.

Later that night, the left side of my neck and upper back began tensing up. The left side of my neck feels incredibly tight. It is especially noticible if I turn my head to the right or if I am layin down and try to pick my head up.

Could it be whiplash? Or just general muscle tension/tightness or a muscle pull? I've never experienced whiplash before so I have no idea what it feels like... I'm trying to avoid going to the doctor. I've been applying heat to the area.

 

[tunes]

Whether you want to or not - too bad. Go to the doctor. You could have ruptured a disk in your neck for all you know.

Go see a doctor and find out. I hope you feel better soon too. I know what a bear neck injuries are.

 

[Riven]

Don't go to the doctor, they only look to fix things that they can cut or medicate. Go to the chiro, it's cheaper and they'll get you fixed the right way. Chiro's deal with the mechanics of how your body works, doctors do the other stuff.

I was tossed off one of my horses and had a dislocated shoulder for two weeks and didn't know until I went into my chiro because my hand kept going numb. It smooshed a nerve and my arm was only getting about 50% of the blood it should've so it didn't hurt at all until he put it back in place.

 

[tunes]

I don't disagree with a chiropractor, I use one myself, but a chiropractor can't give you a muscle relaxant or any kind of pain med, and if you seriously injured your neck you're going to need one - especially to sit through the chiropractor's ministrations.

I have 3 herniated disks in my neck from a car accident. When I leave the chiropractors office, I am in tears because it hurts incredibly for her to do the adjustment. She can't even do it by hand, she has to use a tool so she doesn't touch me. I went to a doctor first, had x-rays, then a CAT scan and an MRI, which most chiros don't have access to, then when I got a diagnosis I went to the chiro.

 

[Laurie]

Ann please tell me you remember Natasha Richardson! She had a head injury she shrugged off and died. When you feel fuzzy or dizzy it could be a concussion. You definitely should have something like that checked out! A head/neck injury is simply something you can not put off having a medical professional look at.

 

[InkedupTara]

Go see a family doctor first. Not a Chiro. You could end up in more pain and worse off. And yes working in the radiology dept of a hospital, I have heard of this happening more than once. Always best o go to fam doctor first and let them start the work up.

 

[Riven]

If it's a good chiro you should not end up in more pain. Any good chiro will start with xrays, and unlike a GP they see neck and back injuries everyday, that is what they do. So I'm going to have to severally disagree with going to a GP first.

I spent thousands on my daughters leg after a skiing accident, the ER, the family doctor, then even a orthopedic specialist.... after she went through two months of pain and everyone saying " there's nothing wrong" and just saying the pain will go away eventually, I was at the chiro for me and had him look at her, he fixed it that day, and she's had no problems since. They could say there was nothing wrong, because they didn't hold her at the end of the day when she couldn't do the things she wanted because of the braces they had her in and in the morning when she hurt so bad to get out of bed her day started with pain killers. The ortho would wink at me like she was making it up, but would schedule to take my money every week... the chiro did some basic movement tests and said that the pain was consistent with where it should be for what he was doing. He believed my daughter was in pain, and not making it up.

Pain killers have a place, but if given without knowing exactly what's causing the pain, then it's just going to cover up the real problem making it harder to find.

Peggy if you leave in pain, you should find a new one. It shouldn't be that way. Either she doesn't have you on a proper schedule or she needs to try a different technique. To me getting a diagnosis one place then going to another for the treatment is like ordering your food at McDonald's and picking it up at BK... it's probably going to be messed up.

 

[tunes]

Peggy if you leave in pain, you should find a new one. It shouldn't be that way.

Nope, definitely not changing. She's the only one out of 3 who has been able to get me upright and able to turn my head after I visit. I am supposed to have surgery to fuse the 3 vertebrae in my neck and I refuse to do it. Once I do, I won't be able to do my job anymore because I won't be able to bend my neck or turn my head. There are no other techniques she can use. She's consulted with orthopods, neurosurgeons, and other chiros. She can't physically put her hands on my neck or it will literally cause me to pass out. She uses this hand held device that you wouldn't even think did anything until you stand up and everything, literally, settles into place. It doesn't matter whether I go weekly or monthly, the results are the same. For the first several hours after I get home I have to sit with an ice pack on my neck, take Motrin or Flexeril, and rest. After that initial few hours, I feel like a million bucks.

Until the next time. <sigh>

Believe me, I'm not knocking a chiropractor. But a chiropractor cannot treat a concussion, nor should they. I fully believe in a chiropractor taking care of my bones, but I went to her after I had a diagnosis, and an x-ray wasn't going to show it. I needed an MRI and a CAT scan to pinpoint what the problem was. Once she knew exactly where to look, she even expanded on the original issue. She's an awesome chiro and worked closely with an orthopod (and he with her) until they knew everything that was wrong and how to treat it with the best results. He himself told me, don't get surgery until you absolutely have to, stick with Terri as long as you can. Once you have the surgery, the life you know now will be over. I've been going to Terri for 9 years now - love her to death.

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

Peggy, My dad had that surgery, as did a friend of mine, and they both had full range of motion in their necks. Only because the surgeon who did the surgery, uses a fuse that has ball bearings in it, to give them ROM. My dad is an avid motorcyclist and has since been able to get back on his Harley and ride and my friend has been able to return to golfing with the only limitation being no power swings! ( only because she is no fully fused yet )

Annshh: you should really see some type of doctor, because you could have a concussion or other brain injury and not know it. The same can be said for a possible back and neck injury.

 

[Ash]

Nicole, this isn't a leg we're talking about. It's Annshh's head. You do not shrug off issues that could be neurological. Sure, it may be a pinched nerve and she may just need a readjusting, but it could be something more. I'd go to the doctor's, get looked at and if it's a pinched nerve or something similar, then go to the chiro. But I'd rule out anything else first.

 

[fanofdmb84]

I had a very similar accident about a year ago. I went straight over the horses' head and landed on the back of my neck. I was sore for weeks, but I refused to go to the doctor. I have insanely little confidence in GPs and think many (not all) of them are useless. I was really bruised and battered, but I was lucky and came out of it ok, except for the poison ivy I landed in. Fast forward about a month and a half and I had horrible infections in my skin from the poison ivy and hives I get from the poison ivy. I NEVER go to the doctor, but I was so miserable and in so much pain, I went to Urgent Care. They did a few normal tests, a few unneeded ones, and sent me home with antibiotics after giving me a ridiculous amount of attitude and snottiness. One of the nurses left my chart on the desk while she stepped out, and FLU was written in big letters and underlined...they were all assuming I was whining because I had the flu. I was furious. I didn't have any symptoms of the flu and was pretty ticked to know that they were dismissing all of my problems AND didn't even have the nerve to tell me that's what they thought was wrong. Needless to say, I haven't been back to a doc since and don't plan on going anytime soon, unless I break a bone.

Having said all of that (TMI I'm sure), you should probably go to the doc ... but stand up for yourself and go with your gut feelings. If you don't think they are doing all they should, say so or get another opinion.

 

[Lynn & The Chins]

ANY trauma to the head or neck requires immediate attention, in my opinion. As pointed out earlier, Natasha Richardson is a good example. Closed head injuries are by their very nature, insidious. Think also about Super Man, Christopher Reeves, who ended up a paraplegic after his horseback accident. Thank God you WERE wearing a helmet!!!

Now, get your fanny to a doctor for a complete neurological assessment and at the very least, X-rays, but if possible, an MRI.

!!! PLEASE !!!

 

[Riven]

A sore neck is not a symptom of neurological damage, or a pinched nerve. She stated that she is having tensed muscles down a side of her body, this is not a sign of anything neurological. She did not mention anything that remotely sounds neurological. She asked about the neck, I gave information about the neck.

I did not see a date when this happened, I'm assuming yesterday. She's awake and alive this morning, apparently her sight and hearing is working, and she has enough motor skills to type and get around. She didn't mention any twitching or tremors.

I don't know how many of the people who posted seriously ride, and I'm not saying that people don't get hurt, but thousands of people come off each day, thousands get their heads smashed each day, but I've only seen two cases cited that have turned out badly. I'm not saying that it's not important to go to the doctor when needed, but I also believe that most people KNOW when something is not right to the point they need to go. If I went to the doctor every time I've came off a horse, I couldn't afford to ride.

As Lynn said Reeves ended up paraplegic after a horse incident, but he didn't walk away from it either. There are different amounts of trauma. I'm not saying that it might not be serious, but I do know that telling someone who doesn't want to, or can't afford to go to the doctor isn't going to help as much as giving them alternatives that might be easier or cheaper.

I know that many people think that chiros are just quacks, but they go through medical school, everyone who goes to be a chiro, could have been a GP, they just chose a different line of study. Your chiro knows a lot more than just about popping joints. If you think about what they do, it's harder than writing flu on a paper and writing a script. What would you think if someone walked up to you and said hey, I need to shove your spine over because it's cutting off spinal fluid causing your problems? Chiro's know when something is out of their area, they know when it's not. I'm not saying a chiro can fix everything, but I know a GP can't.

And as far as I'm concerned, my daughters leg is a very important part of her... just as important as her head. She had tightness, no one thought it was neurological. If there is some part that suggested there was anything neurologically wrong, please show me where it was. I didn't see it. If my kid falls on their bike, off a swing, anything... they could receive some sort of brain damage, but I'm not going to run them to the doctor if they have no symptoms of it.

 

[Laurie]

I do not think chiro's are quacks at all. But what I do know is anytime there is fuzzyness and disorientation after a fall that is not a good sign. Concussion symptoms can show up more than one day after the accident.

Natasha Richardson had a fall while skiing and did not slip into a coma and die until a day later, possibly longer.

She actually fell, got up, walked away from the accident and brushed away attempts to check her over--I bet if she had a do over she would take it.

 

[Riven]

Not picking on you in particular Laurie, but have you even jumped off a merry go round... that's the same effect as coming off a horse, no matter how you land, you'll be disoriented.

Again, I'm not saying there is not a possibility that there is nothing at all wrong, but I know that personally, I would not run in for a CT or MRI. And I can say that, because I've been there, I've had to get up off the ground, many times in my life. I'm not saying that no one should, but I do believe that people know when their body is messed up, and when it's not.

Everyone keeps talking about Natasha, but how many other times has that happened? People step off a curb and get hit by a bus, that doesn't mean I'm not going to step off a curb. It means if I hear a bus, I'm going to wait.

 

[Laurie]

Having seen the effects of concussions first hand several times with friends who played football in high school and my own nephew he got one every year in the four years he played varsity--AND went to the hospital twice for it due to the fact he lost all feeling in his face, I always caution people who take a fall and have dizzyness to see the doctor. Falling on your head is not the same as jumping off a moving swing or moving merry go round. Falling off of those things and landing on your head or hitting your head is different than landing up right.

The reason I mentioned Natasha is because people often suffer a fall or a blow to the head and think nothing of it--yet in this particular instance she died.

I remember hearing about it when it first happened and I said, oh another famous person skiing and they fell. The next day when we learned she died from it I went . . . WHAT?????! How does that happen?

All I know is the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life is when I had a 30 minute conversation with my best friend Randy, whom I referred to as brother and he referred to me as his sister, and after our 30 minutes of speaking to one another while sitting on the couch together he looked at another friend of ours and said, hey have you seen my sister? The friend asked if he meant his real sister Terry and he said--no Loretta (my nickname). The friend looked at me and then Randy and said, Randy she is sitting next to you. Needless to say I took him to the emergency room--he had a severe concussion--one the football failed to recognize and allowed him to play the entire 2nd half of the game.

 

[tunes]

Everyone keeps talking about Natasha, but how many other times has that happened?

Well that's pretty obvious isn't it? Not everybody is a movie star that everyone will know about. You don't see Betty Smith who died of an aneurysm after a fall on the cover of People magazine.

I can't give you the specifics, because it would cost me my job, but yes, it happens more than what you read on the cover of a magazine. I've typed young and elderly people who have died from untreated head injuries.

If you want horse related stories? I can give you those too. My ex was a very competitive rider, all through 4-H and in many, many shows throughout the entire time we were together. He was attempting to qualify for the Olympics in dressage. During 4-H one of his friends took a jump and came off the horse. She smacked her head into the ground as she came off. Got up, said everything was fine. She was slighty dizzy, a little nauseous. She walked out of the arena with her horse, put her horse away, went to a party later that night, collapsed and died a few hours later. If I could remember her name (it's been 20 years, so gimme a break on this one, and she was his friend not mine) I would look up the news story and show you. Just because you don't read about it in the paper in YOUR area doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

Ann - This isn't meant to turn your thread into a debate, but please, having been around the medical profession for the past 27 years, and having been injured in 2 car accidents - seek medical care. You said your helmet was dented and cracked. That means your head took a blow. ANY doctor or nurse worth their salt will tell you that when you hit that hard, and you have dizziness or disorientation, you need to seek medical attention.

 

[menagerie]

By this time, I hope the OP has gone to the doctor and had a CT scan and MRI to see what is going on. I LOVE my chiropractor, they keep me upright and functioning. If I fell off a horse and sustained that kind of damage, they'd want me to go for all the tests and then evaluate a course of treatment.

Personally, I would have gone straight to the ER.

 

[Ziora]

Just wondering why you don't want to go to the doc. Asking people for medical advice over the internet is kind of a shot in the dark, isn't it? I'm with menagerie. I would have gone straight to the ER.

 

[Nancy]

I agree totally with Laurie and Natasha Richardson came immediately to mind when I read the first post. At the time of Natasha's death, there were many cases of people who had died from seemingly minor falls being mentioned. Doctors were warning people that if they took a hard fall to go to emerg and be checked. It's not worth the risk to not be checked out.

Nobody on here is a doctor so for anyone to be advising you you don't need to see a doctor is stupid and irresponsible. Anyone that does have some medical knowledge or common sense is going to be telling you to get checked out.

Please go to emerg. There may be nothing seriously wrong but is it worth your life not to find out.