Whiplash is a Symptom of Bigger Automotive Injuries
Whiplash was long thought to be a simple, backward, overextension of the neck. But today, doctors now know it’s really about extremely rapid extension in one direction and then the other (hence the name, whiplash). Within half a second, your body experiences an intense process that could cause lasting damage to your back and neck, along with a host of other health problems.
If you’ve had a car accident and believe that you may have suffered whiplash, you absolutely need to visit a medical professional. It is the most common soft tissue injury, but because symptoms don’t always appear immediately, many people ignore them at their peril. And, even when symptoms do occur, it’s easy to downplay them as normal. They’re not.
Advanced Spine & Posture has handled many whiplash cases and has seen both the long- and short-term detriments of this condition. If you’ve recently been in a car accident even if you feel completely fine we urge you to visit us for a consultation.
How do you know if you have whiplash?
Whiplash is more complicated than, say, a fractured bone because whiplash is not evident in X-rays. Also, its results are less predictable than those associated with other conditions. Initial symptoms include:
- Headaches;
- Tingling or numbness in the extremities;
- Blurred vision;
- Neck pain;
- Shoulder pain;
- Back pain.
Initial symptoms are easy to recognize, but also easy to ignore or play off. Unfortunately, not seeking chiropractic attention for these effects can be profoundly damaging to your long-term health. Lifelong ailments are bound to follow, including:
- Myofascial tears (chronic pain at specific trigger points);
- Damaged soft tissue;
- Torn or strained ligaments;
- Muscle spasms;
- Vertebral subluxations (spinal misalignments);
- Disc herniation;
- Spinal nerve damage;
- Facet joint injuries.
How do chiropractors treat whiplash?
Chiropractors are experts in correcting subluxations. Many cases chiropractors handle involve minor subluxations, those caused by everyday wear and tear, aging, or a sedentary lifestyle. Whiplash, however, usually causes major subluxations. These disturbances are often the source of chronic pain. In fact, about half of whiplash victims experience chronic pain issues. This is because the spinal column plays a crucial part in communicating nerve signals to all parts of the body, while also acting as the framework for weight distribution and shock absorption. Whiplash damage impacts each of these spinal facets and more, causing many forms of ongoing pain.
Treating whiplash starts with a comprehensive assessment, to determine the scope of injury. When damage is found, an expert chiropractor will provide spinal adjustments along with other treatments to restore proper alignment. Spinal adjustments are to resolve any disc or vertebrae injuries associated with whiplash. Other treatments include therapeutic massage, trigger point therapy, and physical therapy, to help incite healing or strengthen key support systems. The result, depending on the severity of the accident, could be better, faster healing.
Dont downplay whiplash
Have you been in a rear-end collision? Did you feel your head snap back and fly forward? Is there a rising soreness in your neck? Don’t assume that your condition will improve.
Whiplash patients who wait to seek care risk permanent disability. It’s imperative to seek out the help of a trained spinal professional. The team at Advanced Spine & Posture are your experts in chiropractic treatment, with experience in treating whiplash cases. We use the revolutionary Chiropractic BioPhysics (CBP) program to uniquely assess every patient, giving us better foresight when developing a treatment plan.
Contact us today for a free consultation and let us assess the scope of your whiplash and the health of your spine.
Chiropractic BioPhysics, or CBP, is one of the most scientific, researched, and results-oriented corrective care techniques. CBP-trained chiropractors aim to realign the spine back to health, eliminating nerve interference and addressing the source of pain, fatigue, and disease. As with all chiropractic care, CBP is gentle, painless, and non-invasive.
