Chiropractic Care for Whiplash

You’ve almost certainly heard of whiplash before, and more than likely in relation to car accidents. Whiplash is one of the most common injuries sustained in vehicle collisions, although it can also occur as a result of a trip or fall. Whiplash primarily affects the neck, although the symptoms can also be felt in other areas of the upper body. Fortunately, chiropractic care is an extremely effective, drug-free, and non-invasive treatment that can ensure that patients don’t suffer any lasting effects from their injury. 

 

Symptoms of Whiplash

Whiplash can present a number of different symptoms. These may occur in any combination or alone, and their severity can vary depending on the extent that you have been injured. The most common symptoms associated with whiplash include:

• Pain and tenderness in the neck

• Problems moving your neck

• Pain and problems moving your shoulders and head

• Headaches/migraine 

• Pain and mobility problems affecting the upper arms

Although the following are less often experienced, they can still occur as a result of experiencing whiplash:

• Blurred vision

• Difficulty concentrating

• Dizziness 

• Memory problems

• Tinnitus 

If you have any of these symptoms following a car accident, trip, or fall, you should arrange to be seen by a chiropractor as soon as possible. In fact, most people are recommended to see a chiropractor after any sort of accident so that they can be thoroughly assessed for any non-visible injuries. 

 

Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Whiplash

There are a variety of benefits associated with undergoing chiropractic care for a whiplash injury. 

It is non-invasive. Unlike many other treatments, chiropractic care is entirely non-invasive and performed primarily by hand. The most common technique used is spinal manipulations, which involve short, sharp thrusting movements in order to free any areas of tightness and improve blood flow to produce therapeutic effects. 

It provides drug-free pain relief. Many people have concerns about taking pain medications, particularly if their condition is ongoing and they end up suffering discomfort for some time. Fortunately, chiropractic care doesn’t use drugs and it can significantly help to reduce or even eliminate your need to take pain medications following a whiplash injury. This is because chiropractic treatment causes the release of natural pain-relieving endorphins which counteract discomfort. The improvement in the flow of oxygenated blood around your body will also help to reduce inflammation – something which can cause pain. 

It speeds up the rate of healing. It can take weeks or even months for the soft and connective tissue in your neck to heal following a whiplash injury. However, chiropractic care can speed up this process. This is because it eliminates areas of tension, enabling blood and nutrients to flow to the site of the injuries, healing them more quickly, and enabling you to make a more efficient recovery. 

Chiropractic care restores nerve communication. When you experience whiplash, the nerves in the cervical spine can be pinched or damaged, and this can lead to neurological symptoms such as tingling, burning, and pain. Chiropractic adjustments restore nerve communication which helps to alleviate these symptoms and ensures that your body is functioning at optimal levels of health. 

It can prevent long-term damage. If whiplash is left untreated, it can have some long-term effects. The most obvious is the limited range of motion and chronic neck pain, but patients have also been known to experience chronic headaches, vertebrae misalignment, degenerative disc disease, tinnitus, and vertigo. These symptoms can become significant health problems in their own right if they aren’t treated promptly. 

If you would like to learn more about chronic care for whiplash, or if you would like to schedule an appointment with our experienced and knowledgeable chiropractic team in Lafayette, IN today.