Life After Whiplash [Paperback]

Robert Ferrari (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2004

Life After Whiplash is about getting back to the various enjoyable, necessary, and important things in your life after having suffered an acute whiplash injury. Whiplash injury is common. At least 1 million people suffer this injury every year in the United States. While the injury is usually not a problem long term, it can become a very difficult experience for some sufferers, causing multiple symptoms, affecting one’s ability to work and survive financially, and also affecting relationships with friends and family. Partners of the whiplash-injured are also often affected by the injury, hence Chapter 4: Sex after Whiplash.

This book deals with a self-help approach to acute whiplash injury that will allow you to get back your usual life and will help you to reduce the risk of having your life disrupted indefinitely by your whiplash injury. This is achievable without special effort by most whiplash-injured people who heal over days to weeks, but others have to make a special effort to get back to their usual self. While physicians and therapists can help in various ways, ultimately you are the one to make it happen. In order to get back to your usual health, you can start by educating yourself.

Learn about the benefits of activity, exercises, how to know when your doctor or therapist are going to be part of the solution or part of the problem, the benefits and the risks of medications, collars, and passive approach to therapy.

And there is Sex after Whiplash, too. Worse than having a whiplash injury is having no sex because of a whiplash injury. Pain, fatigue, anxiety, stress, and impotency can all get in the way, if you let them. You can help yourself here, too, and your partner can help. So can your doctor. So can this book.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The author is a physician with an interest in chronic pain, in private practice in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He has for years been dealing with chronic pain patients, suffering for reasons that were preventable. He is an associate professor at the University of Alberta Hospital and an internationally-recognized researcher.

Product Details

• Paperback: 95 pages
• Publisher: Broken Terra Productions (March 2004)
• ISBN-10: 0968672639
• ISBN-13: 978-0968672631
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,460,299 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Alas! Finally someone is talking sense., February 11, 2005

By 

A patient from L.A. - See all my reviews

This review is from: Life After Whiplash (Paperback)

Whiplash is a serious injury, so you need to get off on the right foot to deal with it. Inform yourself!! Then empower yourself!! Life After Whiplash is the only book I have seen that tells things like they are, and told me the non-nonsense advice I needed to hear. You can't rely on others to cure you. They can help, and medications make it easier, but the bottom line is that you have to take things in your own hands. That's Ferrari's message. Yes, I found it hurt like hell at first, all over, but everyday was a little bit better, and I just kept moving, used ice and heat, Advil and Tylenol, and the occasional massage. Then I started a Pilates class and that not only reduced my pain, but it toned my abs. It took about 9 weeks for me to feel I was back to my usual self, but most of the gains come in the first few weeks. I don't like the doc's that just push pills, and I agree that if you meet a therapist that tells you they want to treat you for 6 months, tell them you got better things to do - like recover! Finally, chapter 4 is right on. Sex is good therapy. Does it hurt? Yes, but like the book says, who cares? Regular activity (of whatever motivates you most!) is the key to happiness and recovery after you wake up one day with severe whiplash.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A necessary addition to the chiropractors library, April 14, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Life After Whiplash (Paperback)

Chiropractic therapy continues to be helpful for neck and back sprains from acceleration/deceleration injuries. Chiropractic approaches are not based on manipulation alone, however, as we also engage education as a cornerstone of effective therapy. For chiropractors, Life After Whiplash provides simple, easy to understand explanations for the symptoms that accompany spinal disorder. Chiropractors can use this book to expand their repertoire and provide more complete care by giving Life After Whiplash their patients. I am now routinely providing my patients with copies of this book as part of the essential part of their therapy and insurers are willing to accept this as part of therapy costs. The better informed patients are, the better I can help them, and the more they value my services. I have only just begun handing out this book, but so far feedback from patients and insurers has been good.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A real lifesaver!, April 14, 2004

By 

Sven Lundgren (Edmonton, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Life After Whiplash (Paperback)

Like many whiplash victims, after I got injured I needed someone to reassure me I was not going to be affected for the rest of my life, or at least what I could do to heal this injury right. My doctor told me to just not worry about this injury, and he spent 5 minutes with me before handing me a prescription for painkillers and physio. My physio never gave me any straight answers about why I was having all these aches and pains, and why I was so dizzy all the time, but then I got this book, and I got the answers I needed. I know that I can do a lot for myself to avoid having this injury take over my life, and finally I got answers to my questions. I understand my injury and I know what to do about it. I'm not a 100% yet, but I am feeling pretty good about things. Thanks Doc!