Issues with oesophagus, speaking voice and swallowing
 

Has anyone with major whiplash experienced the following issues?

1. Feeling that the oesophagus has been shrunk down making it hard to swallow dry foods and uncoated pills? I have been having issues with this and it causes me to have immediate hiccups.

2. My voice has become quieter and weaker. The more I talk, the weaker my voice gets until it finally becomes hoarse.

I am seeing a SLP and she does not have anything to offer regarding these issues so I thought I would ask it here.

I finally figured out that SLP is Speech Language Pathologist. It sounds like your problem is a cervical issue. I had the sense of a smaller esophagus. It resolved when my neck issues were treated. It sounds like your neck issues may be more difficult to treat. I can cause the sensation to return if my neck is in a twisted position.

While an SLP can be very helpful for TBI issues like aphasia, apraxia and stuttering, your issues sound like they might need attention from a neurologist or physical medical specialist.

As a fellow sufferer of a severe whiplash, I agree with Mark that the issue is in your neck. It could be structural and/or nerve damage/impingement. It might be a good idea to see a neuro and have an MRI of your neck.

After whiplash, it takes a long time for all the swelling (internal and external) to abate. As it does, you may find that some of your symptoms improve.

One other issue that can impair swallowing, and is fairly common is whiplash, is dry mouth due to nerve damage interfering with the saliva glands.

Of the three gland around my bottom jaw, two don't work at all and the other has very minimal function. For many TBI patients the problem is further exasperated by medications that cause dry mouth. My mouth is dry as sand and that makes it hard to speak and swallow. I use artificial saliva spray to help mitigate the problem.

After whiplash, it can be a good idea to see a dentist who specializes in TMJ, etc... In the interim, you can test the glands yourself. Take three small cotton balls. In turn, put one in the front of your lower jaw, and push it down between your gums and the back of your lip. Put the other balls in the same position, just one either side of your bottom, front teeth. After a few moments, if all is well, they should be quite damp.

I had some of those problems during a bout with severe muscle spasms in my neck.
I suggest getting evaluated by expert PT or expert chiropractor..

Thanks everyone! I thought it was a really weird question to ask here. I will consult my chiropractor and my family doctor. Hockey, I will try that test out too. I would have thought the swelling would have dissipated after 16 months but flare ups could be a factor too. My sternum was broken too so some other areas to explore.

Again, thanks for the support!

Swelling/inflammation can be chronic due to neck injuries that have not healed. Those neck injuries can also be impacted by activities and poor posture during sleeping and rest. Chiros can be too aggressive for some subtle neck injuries.

Thanks Mark, yes my Chiropractor has not touched my neck. She got an Xray that came back clear but she would like to get a CAT scan. My family doc fill-in did not support this. I am going back to my actual doc to advocate for one.

Your chiro could possibly safely do some gentle neck traction and mobilization. Ask her about this.

I went to see my Chiropractor and she suggested that the SCM muscles in the neck could be a possible cause of the symptoms I described here. She worked on their trigger points (which really were tender) and we found that my C2 was also tender. She suggested that I have my RMT work on those muscles as part of my treatment plan. I will let you know how it goes. The symptoms were exasperated the other day when I had to have my head turned slightly to one side during a show at my son's school. That night it was even hurting my neck to breathe -- if that makes any sense at all -- and it hurt to talk.

Clearly, your neck is not stable. Have you been seen by a neuro-surgeon? For some patients, the only relief comes from having metal rods inserted to hold the neck in place.

While it sounds gruesome, I wish I could have this done. However, my upper spine was so damaged the surgeon fears in would be too dangerous to operate.

Have you used a cervical collar, at all? If so, does it give you any relief?