Question:  What are Ligaments and Why are Injuries to Them so Serious?

Answer:  Ligaments bind and hold our bones together. They act like wires and cables to give our joints strength and stability. They’re like the plastic tabs holding a six pack of soda together. Once they get stretched, they don’t have the elasticity to return to their original shape or length.  A ligament does not grow back and an injury to one is permanent. The classic ligament injury occurs during a car accident. The accident happens so fast that the neck is whipped backwards and forwards overstretching the ligaments causing joint pain, muscle stiffness and headaches.

Question:  What does the American Medical Association Say About Ligament Injuries?

Answer:  The American Medical Association (AMA) classifies ligament injuries as serious in nature and a permanent impairment rating of 5 to 8% can be given for each injured ligament. Research shows that most people have headaches, pain in the back of their neck and increased pain with movement following a whiplash injury.

Translation:  Ligament injuries are serious, permanent and need to be thoroughly evaluated.

Question:  Why Do Injured Joints Wear Out 6-10 Times Faster Than Normal?

Answer:  When a ligament is damaged, the joint it is designed to protect becomes less stable and often moves too much. This abnormal motion results in ongoing rubbing and grinding of the bone surfaces during motion. This prevents normal healing and leads to premature onset of degenerative joint disease - a wear-and-tear type of arthritis that can wear out the joints 6-10 times faster than normal.

Clicking, popping or grinding when you move or turn your head is a sign of stretched and torn ligaments and can only be properly evaluated with a Digital Motion X-ray.

Question:  Is Digital Motion X-Ray safe?

Answer:  Digital Motion X-Ray is very safe. In fact, a complete Digital Motion X-Ray study will record approximately 2700 x-rays for the same amount of radiation as the traditional 5-view standard x-ray series performed at the hospital.

Question:  What is the difference between Standard X-Ray, MRI and DMX?

Answer:  Standard X-rays are taken to rule-out bone fractures, bone dislocations and bone pathology. 9 out of 10 x-ray reports come back negative. They should. The patient did not break or dislocate their neck.

MRI is ordered when the patient has loss of strength, radiating pain, numbness, or tingling in their hands or arms. MRIs are taken to make sure there are no disc herniations, tumors or spinal stenosis. An MRI is performed while the patient is not moving.

DMX, or Digital Motion X-Ray is performed when the patient has headaches, pain in the back of their neck or shoulders, or has popping, clicking or grinding when they move their head. It is performed to evaluate ligament injuries. Since ALL accidents happen in motion, the patient is always examined in motion.

Question:  What if all the other tests I’ve had were negative and didn’t show anything?

Answer:  This is very common. Standard x-rays, MRIs and CTs are all done when you don’t, or can’t, move for the test. Digital Motion X-Ray is completely different and performed especially for those who have injured their neck or upper back in an accident. Digital Motion X-Ray specifically tests for ligament damage where other examinations do not. This is why DMX commonly finds injuries that were not detected before.

Question:  Is Digital Motion X-Ray expensive?

Answer:  No. Digital Motion X-Ray costs about one-third of an MRI and is billed directly to your insurance. The test actually saves your insurance company money and proves your case at the same time.