We use our necks all the time, so when an injury like whiplash impairs their movement, it affects everything. We can’t easily turn our heads, nod, or anything if our neck is hurt. Luckily, chiropractors can both diagnose and treat whiplash so that your neck is back to normal as soon as possible. 

What Is Whiplash?

Whiplash is a neck injury that occurs from a sudden and forceful back and forth movement of the neck, like the lashing of a whip. This motion can injure the bones in your spine, the spinal disks, ligaments, nerves, muscles, and the tissue of your neck. It can also be called a neck sprain or strain, but these terms encompass other types of injuries that aren’t necessarily whiplash. 

What Causes Whiplash?

It is most commonly caused by car accidents, with the abrupt change from being in motion to crashing to a stop. It can also result from a number of other things too, though, such as a sports accident, a fall, physical abuse, and a number of other different traumas that can cause this kind of neck movement. 

After car accidents, sports are another common cause of whiplash because of the nature of the activity. Collisions resulting from contact sports as well as any number of activities that can cause this movement can lead to whiplash. 

Whiplash can result from physical abuse because if you are punched, shaken, pushed, or otherwise hurt by someone else, it can cause your neck to make that forceful back and forth movement of whiplash. Since shaking can be a cause of it, babies can frequently be victim to this, because if people shake their babies, their heads will snap back and forth.

What Are The Symptoms Of Whiplash?

Symptoms of whiplash typically appear within a few days, but in some cases, it can take weeks to notice. Some of the common signs of symptoms of whiplash are as follows:

• Neck pain
• Stiffness
• Soreness
• Headaches
• Vision problems
• Limited movement
• Worsening pain with neck movement
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Difficulty concentrating
• Tingling or numbness in the arms
• Ringing in the ears
• Memory problems
• Sleep troubles
• Depression
• Shoulder pain or tenderness

These are some of the common signs and symptoms of whiplash, but there can be others not listed here. If you’ve suffered an injury that could result in this kind of neck injury, it’s best to seek out help right away in order to avoid complications and to get on the road to recovery as soon as possible.

How Is Whiplash Treated?

Whiplash is treatable and many people find themselves recovering within weeks, so long as they follow their set treatment plans. In some cases, whiplash can result in further injury and chronic pain, though, so it’s important to seek out treatment as soon as possible after the injury. 

Depending on the severity of the injury, you may be required to wear a foam collar in order to immobilize your neck. Some people are fine to recover with at home stretches, exercises, and medication, while others require more intensive care including physical therapy. 

Treatment generally involves a variety of methods aimed at helping your pain, restoring your neck’s range of motion, and assisting you with getting back to life as normal with no fear of developing chronic pain or complications. 

How Can A Chiropractor Help Whiplash?

A chiropractor can treat you in a number of ways. Generally, when you go to a chiropractor, they will conduct a physical examination and ask for information about the injury and your personal history in order to determine both the cause and how best to treat it. 

The chiropractor’s goal is to reduce the inflammation in the neck, restore its motion, and reduce your pain through adjustments and exercises that won’t just help you now, but also help to prevent long-term damage.

Chiropractic Treatments For Whiplash

Everyone is different and the causes for their injuries differ, too. This means that what your treatment plans look like will differ from someone else’s because it’s targeted to your personal circumstances. Some of the ways that chiropractors treat whiplash include:

• Spinal Manipulation.

Spinal manipulation is aimed at moving the joint back in the way from which it was restricted through the use of chiropractic adjustments.

• Muscle Relaxation And Simulation.

This helps to relax tense, tight muscles in order to help it regain mobility.

• Exercises

Chiropractors may use a number of different exercises to help regain range of motion and maintain neck stability. These can typically be done both with the chiropractor and at home. 

In addition to these treatments, a chiropractor may also employ a number of other methods to treat whiplash. These include: soft tissue therapy, ultrasounds, and interferential electrical stimulation, amongst others. All of these are meant to help stimulate the muscles, reduce inflammation and pain, and restore motion to your neck. 

Are You Suffering From Whiplash?

Elevate Wellness can help you with any whiplash injuries. We’ll conduct examinations to find what injuries happened and then personalize a treatment method to you. If you’re suffering from whiplash, we’ll get you feeling better. Contact us at Elevate Wellness today to schedule a consultation or for any questions you may have!