If you’ve ever experienced rapid back-and-forth movement of your neck followed by pain, there’s a high likelihood that you’ve sustained a whiplash injury. Although most people associate whiplash with car accidents, it can also occur from slips and falls on ice, sports collisions, or even riding in a bumper car.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!While many are familiar with the term “whiplash,” they may not fully understand what it involves. Medically speaking, whiplash is classified as a cervical sprain/strain. This means that the ligaments in the neck have been stretched or torn (sprain), and the muscles in the upper back and neck have been stretched or torn as well (strain). As a result, you may experience significant pain, spasms, and swelling in the neck, often accompanied by persistent headaches that can last weeks or even months after the injury.
Typical medical treatment for whiplash includes rest, ice or heat therapy, pain relievers, muscle relaxants, and anti-inflammatories. While these treatments can provide temporary relief for minor injuries, they don’t address the underlying issue. This can leave you prone to recurring pain and headaches even after your initial treatment has concluded.
At our office, we have two primary goals when treating whiplash injuries:
- Restore you to your pre-injury state or achieve maximum medical improvement as quickly as possible.
- Ensure proper documentation for appropriate payment of your medical bills.
To effectively treat whiplash, we use a variety of approaches to expedite your recovery and help prevent future issues:
- Gentle Chiropractic Adjustments: Since a sprain involves moving a joint beyond its normal range of motion, chiropractic care focuses on restoring proper joint mobility in the neck.
- Soft Tissue Work: Whiplash injuries often lead to muscle spasms and trigger points (knots) that are sore and tender. Gentle stretching, trigger point therapy, and massage can help alleviate these issues.
- Passive Rehabilitation: If you’re experiencing significant pain, we may use therapies such as electric stimulation, ice/heat therapy, traction, and ultrasound in conjunction with chiropractic adjustments to reduce pain and spasms.
- Active Rehabilitation: Whiplash injuries often result in a diminished or even reversed natural curve in the cervical spine, contributing to a forward head posture. This posture places additional stress on the upper back and neck. To address this, we focus on postural exercises aimed at restoring a normal head position.
- Cervical Pillow: A quality cervical pillow can help alleviate pain and improve posture by supporting your head and neck in a natural position while you sleep. These pillows are not only beneficial for whiplash injuries but also help with general neck pain and headaches. They are affordable and available in our office.
We sincerely hope you never have to experience a whiplash injury, but if you do, know that there are alternatives to relying solely on painkillers, muscle relaxants, and anti-inflammatories.
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