Question:
I was rear-ended on a surface street about a month ago. My chiropractor is referring me to a neurologist now because I am still experiencing considerable pain in my back, in addition to some loss of cognitive function (disorientation, inability to focus on tasks, forgetfulness), as well as numbness (just as if novacaine were wearing off) in the nip of my nose and upper lip, which has not lessened.

Can anyone give me some insight into how being rear-ended can result in a brain stem injury? My chiropractor was quite concerned and I'm frightened. I have an appoinment to see the neurologist in two days. (The car that hit me was a 3/4 ton pickup going 45+ mph and I was nearly stopped). I was driving, leaning forward and looking right, but didn't even have a neck brace issued at the ER and I didn't think anything this serious could result.

Answer: Most of the dificulty that a person with a neurological injury has to deal with is swelling. That is the body's reaction to injury. Swelling can have a very damaging effect on the brain if it is not quickly brought under control. Most of the danger is in the first fiew hours or days of the injury. Swelling can also spread to tissue in the surrounding areas causing problems with blood flow.

If your brainstem were damaged then you would most likely not be alive today. It is probably just swollen and brused because it is in proximity to where the real injury occured (a nerve that branches off of the spine between the disks in that location). This nerve which controls the face was quite likely pinched when you sustained a WHIP-LASH. You will quite likely have a reocvery from this injury in a month or so as the swelling goes down.

Brain injuries can take some time to heal and a month isn`t much,I`d be interested in what the neurologist has to say after ct,mri results are in. bruising, a pinched nerve,may be a cause it sounds like you had a serious shakeup but wait till you have a visit with your neurologist you may be worrying for nothing,it may just be that you need time to heal and all will return. I`d be happy to hear the final verdict. In