If you have been involved in a car accident, whiplash injuries need to be taken very seriously. Since symptoms of a whiplash injury can take weeks or months to manifest, it is easy to be fooled into thinking that you are not as injured as you really are.
Too often people don’t seek treatment following a car accident because they don’t feel hurt. By far, the most common injury to the neck is a whiplash injury. Numerous studies have shown that years after whiplash victims settle their insurance claims, roughly half of them state that they still suffer with symptoms from their injuries. If you have been in a motor vehicle or any other kind of accident, don’t assume that you escaped injury if you are not currently in pain. Contact us today!
Whiplash accidents are not limited to car accidents alone, contact sports and sudden jolts cause minor to major whiplash too.
The term “whiplash” is used to define an injury mechanism of rapid, sudden whipping back of the neck followed by an immediate “whipping” forward of the neck that results in damage to the muscles, ligaments and tendons. One of the key points here is rapid, these movements occur so fast that the protective mechanisms of the neck are unable to protect itself and damage occurs.
The most common symptoms related to whiplash include:
- Neck Pain and Stiffness
- Headache
- Shoulder Pain and Stiffness
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Jaw Pain (Temporomandibular Joint Symptoms)
- Arm Pain
- Arm Weakness
- Visual Disturbances
- Ringing in the Ears (Tinnitus)
- Back Pain
In the more severe and chronic case of “whiplash associated disorder” symptoms can include:
- Depression
- Anger
- Frustration
- Anxiety Stress
- Drug Dependency
- Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome
- Sleep Disturbance (Insomnia)
- Litigation Social Isolation
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care utilizes manual manipulation of the spine to restore the normal movement and position of the spinal vertebrae. It is by far the single-most effective treatment for minimizing the long-term impact of whiplash injuries, especially when coupled with massage therapy, trigger point therapy, exercise rehabilitation and other soft tissue rehabilitation modalities. More than 20% of those who suffer from whiplash injuries continue to suffer from pain, weakness or restricted movement two years after their accident.
Whiplash is a unique condition that requires the expertise of a skilled health professional specially trained to work with these types of injuries. With proper care, many mild whiplash injuries heal within six to nine months.