Whiplash is a common injury seen after being involved in an auto accident or other traumatic event, such as physical assault or a fall. Many people assume that whiplash is just to be expected as a result of such traumas and that they need to grin and bear this – this isn’t so. Chiropractors help whiplash in a number of ways that can treat your pain and help stimulate your body’s natural healing process. Here’s what you need to know about how chiropractors help whiplash and whether you may be at heightened risk for suffering a whiplash injury.
What Is Whiplash?
Whiplash is an injury to your neck that results from a forced, rapid back and forth movement of your neck, like that of a whip lash. While most commonly associated with car accidents, especially rear-enders, whiplash can result from a number of other causes too. Sports accidents, falls, physical abuse, shaken baby syndrome, and other such traumas can all cause whiplash.
Symptoms Of Whiplash
While most people who suffer whiplash can recover within a few weeks, whiplash doesn’t always manifest right away. Left untreated, whiplash can result in long-term complications such as chronic neck pain and more. The sooner you seek treatment, the sooner chiropractors help whiplash, the sooner you’ll be able to recover and return to your life as normal.
Symptoms of whiplash include:
- Neck pain
- Stiffness
- Lessened range of motion in the neck
- Headaches
- Tingling and/or numbness in the arms
- Tenderness and/or pain in your shoulders, upper back, and/or arms
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Irritability
- Ringing in the ears
- Depression
- Memory problems
- Difficulty concentrating
- Trouble sleeping
- Nausea
- Difficulty swallowing
- Low back pain and/or stiffness
- Pain in your jaw or face
Chiropractors help whiplash symptoms such as these in a number of ways. If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms of whiplash, it’s best to seek out chiropractic care sooner rather than later.
Risk Factors For Whiplash
The same as everything else, there are factors that can put you at higher risk for this injury. Risk factors for whiplash include:
- Car headrests that are too low or more than 2 inches from your head
- Your seat being reclined too far back
- Poor posture while driving
- Age, as your ligaments become less pliable and your range of motion is already lessened
- Being of a shorter height, as this can put you too close to the steering wheel and air bag or cause your seatbelt to fit poorly
- Pre-existing conditions, such as arthritis
How Chiropractors Help Whiplash
Symptoms of whiplash usually appear within a few days following the injury, but this isn’t always the case. There are cases where it takes years for symptoms to manifest, and they can result in further problems, such as premature disc generation. As such the sooner you can obtain treatment, the better. Chiropractors help whiplash with a variety of different treatment methods. Here’s what you need to know about how chiropractors help whiplash.
Chiropractic Treatment For Whiplash
Chiropractors help whiplash in several of the following ways:
- Spinal Manipulation
What chiropractic care is most renowned for, spinal manipulation is a primary way chiropractors help whiplash. Spinal manipulation involves utilizing spinal manipulation techniques that apply pressure to the areas of your spine that are misaligned, which can provide relief by putting your spine back into alignment.
- Spinal Decompression
Spinal decompression is another way chiropractors help whiplash. This treatment method involves gentle stretching of your spine in order to alleviate pressure on your spinal disks.
- Soft Tissue Therapy
Soft tissue therapy restores your muscular function through stretching or applying pressure to your muscles that have excessive tension. This can be done with chiropractic massage, as well as muscle energy therapy and stretch-and-resist techniques.
Other ways chiropractors help whiplash include: muscle stimulation and relaxation, ergonomic changes, exercises that you can do at home, therapeutic massage, and more. The treatment method chiropractors use for you will depend on the circumstances of your specific injury and the symptoms you’re experiencing.
Benefits Of Chiropractic Care For Whiplash
When chiropractors help whiplash injuries, people report a number of benefits from their treatments. Some of the benefits of chiropractic care for whiplash include:
- Reduced inflammation
- Reduced pain
- Restored range of motion
- Improved muscle tone
- Treatment of and prevention of headache
- Sped up recovery process
- Boosted overall wellness
Professional Certified Care For Whiplash
As it can take a while for symptoms to show, it’s better to obtain chiropractic care for whiplash as soon as you’ve suffered a trauma that could result in whiplash. Grant Chiropractic offers certified, professional care for whiplash. Our chiropractors help whiplash in a number of ways and will be able to determine the best treatment method for you. Contact us today for any questions or to set up an appointment.
