Dealing with whiplash? Discover how chiropractic care can help.
You were rushing to work and didn’t realize just how quickly you were coming up on that the car in front of you. You slam on your brakes. The car behind you brakes, but it’s just too late. While you might just walk away from this fender bender with some bumps and bruises (and maybe a hit to the ego), you may also notice some neck stiffness and pain developing over the coming hours or even days afterward.
What is whiplash?
Whiplash is a neck injury that results from a physical trauma that causes the neck to be thrown suddenly and violently in the opposite position. In turn, this causes the muscles and tendons in the neck to overstretch and even tear. Most people develop whiplash as a result of a car accident; however, it’s also common for athletes who play contact sports to experience whiplash after a traumatic injury or blow to the head.
What are the symptoms of whiplash?
The most common symptoms of whiplash are pain, stiffness and a limited range of motion and flexibility in the neck. You may not be able to turn your head to the side or over your shoulder without experiencing serious pain and discomfort. The neck may feel tender or you may start to develop headaches more regularly. These symptoms may appear right away or you may not notice symptoms until a few hours or even days later.
How is whiplash treated?
Most people can get the relief they need with simple measures such as icing the neck, limiting certain movements that could exacerbate the damaged tissues and muscles, and taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatories. Of course, if your symptoms are more serious, or if you are looking for other effective and non-invasive ways to speed up healing and improve mobility and function in your neck then you may just want to consider visiting a chiropractor.
How will a chiropractor treat my whiplash?
Once a chiropractor has determined that you are dealing with whiplash, our goal for treatment is to reduce your pain and swelling, improve mobility and range of motion and also make sure that everything is properly aligned within the spine.
One of the best ways to improve the function and alignment of your musculoskeletal system is through spinal adjustments or chiropractic manipulation. By applying a specific amount of pressure to certain areas of the body, we can improve blood flow to these joints, muscles and tendons within the neck to speed up the healing process.
A chiropractor can be essential for helping you get your whiplash symptoms under control. Don’t let whiplash symptoms persist. Turn to a chiropractor right away for customized care.
