Chiropractic Care and Whiplash
Whiplash is caused by a sudden movement of the head that results in injuries to the neck. Car accidents are one of the major causes of whiplash because when cars collide they violently jerk the head back and forth. The head jerking can tear the muscles and ligaments and result in whiplash.
There are various ways that whiplash can occur but it is most common in sports injuries, car accidents, and other cases where physical activity is required. Whiplash affects the soft tissue areas of the neck and has not always been easily detectable. Thankfully, new technologies such as ultrasounds and CAT scans are able to effectively pinpoint injury to soft tissues and confirm whether or not a patient has whiplash.
Typically, victims of whiplash will report neck pain anywhere from hours to days after the accident has occurred. Some whiplash injuries are so slight that the person who was injured doesn't even realize that there is a problem. Regardless of how an individual feels after an accident it is smart to get a chiropractic assessment to make sure that whiplash isn't present.
If whiplash is allowed to continue for a long period of time, other problems such as premature disc degeneration and osteoarthritis could occur. Unlike other injuries, symptoms for whiplash don't always occur right away. In extreme cases, whiplash might not occur until years after the accident. In order to minimize the damage that whiplash can cause, patients should seek professional treatment before the whiplash becomes more complicated.
How Do You Know You have Whiplash?
Pain in the Neck or Shoulder - One of the most common complaints of whiplash sufferers is neck pain. The sudden jolt of the head tears muscles and inflames the neck area. The neck pain is the result of soft tissues and muscle tears and is a normal symptom of whiplash. Almost 80% of individuals with whiplash complain of pain in the neck and this pain could also radiate down the neck and into the shoulders.
Limited Movement in the Head - The neck will respond to the whiplash injury by tightening the muscles in order to support the head. The tightened muscles will result in pain and a decreased ability to move the neck and head. Whiplash sufferers are normally unable to to move their head without feeling pain.
Headache - Another typical symptom of whiplash is the presence of a headache. Fifty percent of those suffering from whiplash have a headache. The headache can vary in pain and consistency - it could also affect either one side or both sides of the head. Whiplash headaches are very similar to tension headaches because they are often felt behind the eyes.
Other symptoms of whiplash could include numbness, vertigo, pains that radiate in the limbs or face, and even nausea. Only a chiropractor or medical doctor can correctly diagnose whiplash. A person experiencing any of the symptoms of whiplash should not wait for the problem to further develop. Whiplash should be treated immediately by a chiropractor. The average chiropractor has a 75% success rate with treating the symptoms of whiplash which makes it a very effective option.
Patients who have severe whiplash suffer from what is referred to as Whiplash Associated Disorder. A large range of symptoms can accompany Whiplash Associated Disorder including nausea and discomfort. Serious complications from Whiplash Associated Disorder include concussions, cognitive disfunction, and even memory lapse. Whiplash also goes by the name Cervical Acceleration Injury and is one of the most common complaints that chiropractors see.
Chiropractic Care is the Best Care for Whiplash
A chiropractor is especially trained to deal with whiplash because it involves the spinal cord, discs, and nerve roots being injured. A chiropractic adjustment can be used as a remedy for whiplash injuries. Every whiplash case is different. A chiropractor can professionally differentiate between each case and apply the right manipulation or treatment that will help that particular person.
There are several ways that a chiropractor can successfully heal whiplash. The first way is through spinal manipulation. Spinal manipulation allows the chiropractor to give the patient more mobility and less pain. Another treatment for whiplash injuries is muscle stimulation and relaxation techniques.
During whiplash the muscles in the neck may become tense or weak and a chiropractor can successfully stimulate the muscles to either contract or relax them. During muscle stimulation, pressure points on the patient are identified and are used to relieve any discomfort or pain the patient is feeling.
Patients who want to work on their own time to treat their whiplash can learn various exercises from their chiropractor. A chiropractor can successfully instruct a patient on which exercises will strengthen the neck muscles and enhance the healing process. Some exercises include McKenzie exercises and Stabilization exercises. Individuals with whiplash suffer from instability in their neck.
They can increase their neck muscles with proper chiropractic care exercises. A study that appeared in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics discovered that chiropractors were effective for resolving the issue of neck pain associated with whiplash.
