Whiplash is a term most people will be familiar with and one they will most commonly associate with car accidents. Whiplash is one of the most common injuries someone will unfortunately suffer in the event of a collision.
Primarily affecting the neck, whiplash can cause symptoms to be felt in other areas of the upper body. When it comes to treating whiplash, thankfully chiropractic care can be of great benefit and help prevent longer term pain and discomfort.
What Are The Symptoms Of Whiplash?
There are a number of symptoms associated with whiplash. Some patients may suffer from a single symptom, but most will experience a combination of the following:
– Neck pain and tenderness
– Headaches and possibly migraines
– Stiffness and problems with moving the neck
– Pain when moving the head and/or shoulders
– Pain and numbness radiating into arm/hands
Less common symptoms of whiplash experienced by patients include:
– Tinnitus
– Memory Loss
– Blurred Vision
– Dizziness
– Nausea
– Difficulty with concentration
If you find that you are suffering from any of the above symptoms after being involved in a car accident, no matter how minor it seemed, it is important to arrange to see a chiropractor as soon as possible. Even if you are symptom free, experts agree that it’s a good idea to schedule an assessment with a chiropractor, as they are able to identify non-visible injuries which may cause pain, stiffness or other debilitating symptoms in the future.
What Are The Benefits Of Chiropractic Treatment For Whiplash?
Chiropractic care is a long-established, non-invasive, drug-free treatment that has been used for centuries to treat pain and injuries affecting the musculoskeletal system and improve whole body wellness. This includes whiplash.
There are many different chiropractic techniques, including spinal manipulations/adjustments, spinal decompression, therapeutic massage, heat/cold therapy, and physical therapy. The techniques offered for whiplash treatment usually involve spinal adjustments and some physical therapy, but your chiropractor will provide more specific advice about which methods will be used.
There are a wide range of benefits of choosing chiropractic care for whiplash following a car accident.
– Reduced inflammation, which helps facilitate movement and minimize patient discomfort without medications.
– Improvement of blood flow around the body and to the area which requires healing, speeding up patient recovery.
– Release of tension contained within the muscles that is causing pain and stiffness.
– Improvement of the ability of the neck muscles to maintain the stability of the neck.
– Prevention of excessive scar tissue formation, which could limit movement in the future.
– Non-invasive treatment with no incisions, anesthetic or recovery time.
– No known side effects of treatment.
– Chiropractic treatment plans are tailored to the individual needs of each patient and adjusted according to how well you respond to treatment.
If you have been involved in a car accident and would like to know more about how chiropractic care can treat whiplash, please don’t hesitate to contact our friendly and experienced team.