Chiropractic Care for Whiplash: What You Should Know
If you struggle with the acute neck pain and other debilitating symptoms of whiplash, you can count yourself in good company. Approximately two million people sustain whiplash injuries every year in the U.S. alone. Fortunately, you can overcome the misery of a whiplash injury non-surgically with the aid of chiropractic care.
The more you understand about why whiplash injuries occur, how they impact your physical function, and what kinds of treatment can come to your rescue, the more effectively you can pursue complete, speedy recovery. Give some thought to the following important points about chiropractic care for whiplash.
Why People Get Whiplash
Whiplash gets its name from the whip-like head motions that typically produce it. You might not realize that your head weighs several pounds because your neck normally supports that weight without any problem. Unfortunately, a sudden jolt can throw that weight upward and downward with enough force to damage your neck.
Any strong, sharp impact to the body or head can result in a whiplash injury, from a person-to-person collision on the playing field to a slip and fall incident in the workplace. However, many people associate whiplash with auto accidents. Even a low-speed collision can transfer enormous momentum force to a vehicle's occupants.
What Whiplash Does to Your Body
The high-impact accidents that throw your head around can cause multiple injuries to your neck. The force can dislodge the vertebrae of the cervical spine, in some cases pinching nerves altering the curve of the neck. The hyperextension and hyperflexion of soft tissues can also cause muscles, tendon, and ligament damage.
As you might imagine, these various injuries can produce a range of troublesome symptoms. In addition to the expected neck stiffness and pain, you can also contend with chronic headaches, blurred vision, dizziness, trouble concentrating or thinking clearly, and neurological symptoms such as weakness or pain in your arms.
Oddly enough, the damage you experience in a whiplash injury may not produce symptoms for hours or even days after your accident. Don't interpret the absence of symptoms as an absence of damage. If you've experienced an accident that involved your neck, seek immediate evaluation from an experienced chiropractor.
How Chiropractic Adjustments Can Ease Whiplash Symptoms
Treatment for your whiplash injury depends on the type and extent of the damage. Your chiropractor will discuss your symptoms with you and take X-rays of your neck to look for spinal alignment problems. If your cervical vertebrae have shifted out of their normal alignment, you may benefit from a series of chiropractic adjustments.
Chiropractors can use several joint manipulation techniques to correct cervical spinal issues. The most direct approach involves precise, gentle thrusting motions to shift joint components. Other manipulation options include instrument-assisted adjustments and a table-based treatment called flexion distraction technique.
Other Ways Chiropractors Can Treat Whiplash
Since whiplash injuries often involve more than just spinal alignment problems, chiropractors also rely on other forms of manipulation to treat the soft tissue damage that can cause so much pain and stiffness. Soft tissue manipulation techniques such as massage therapy and trigger point therapy can ease pain and encourage healing.
A variety of physical therapy methods can enhance your recuperation and help you feel better. Common examples include stretching and strengthening exercises, ultrasound treatment, or a muscle stimulation technique called interferential electrical stimulation. Your chiropractor will prepare an individualized treatment plan for you.
Just as you would seek the appropriate expert for treatment of any other serious injury or illness, you can benefit from consulting a chiropractor who specializes in auto accident injuries. The chiropractic team at Accident & Injury Center has the right expertise for your ailment. Contact us today for an appointment.