Whiplash is a neck injury that arises from rapidly and forcefully moving your neck back and forth. Rear-end car accidents often cause whiplash. It can also result from accidents from playing sports, traumas such as falling, or physical abuse.
Whiplash also goes by the names neck sprain or neck strain. Whiplash occurs when ligaments and muscles known as soft tissues extend beyond their motion range.
Symptoms of Whiplash
Whiplash occurs when your head moves forward and backward forcefully and quickly. Symptoms arise soon after the quick and sudden movement that causes injury to your neck tissues, ligaments, muscles, or bones in your spine.
Signs and symptoms of whiplash can develop within the early days of the injury. They include:
- Dizziness.
- Fatigue.
- Numbness or tingling in your arms.
- Headaches.
- Worsening pain while moving your neck.
- Neck stiffness.
- Neck pain.
Some people also experience trouble sleeping, memory problems, and blurry vision. They also experience ringing in the ears, difficulty concentrating, or depression.
When to See a Doctor
See your doctor if you experience constant neck pain. If you experience whiplash symptoms after car accidents, traumatic injuries, or sports injuries, getting an early diagnosis can help you mitigate adverse damage.
Diagnosis
Most whiplash injuries can be treated at home using ice or over-the-counter drugs. But if your symptoms persist, it is crucial to seek medical help. Diagnosis happens through tests such as magnetic resonance imaging or CT scans. These scans help see soft tissues injuries that are not seen through X-rays.
How Chiropractic Care Helps With Whiplash
Chiropractic care can help treat whiplash using different methods, as follows:
- Soft Tissue Therapy
Chiropractors use soft tissue therapy to treat whiplash because it arises from soft-tissue injury. Muscle function is restored by stretching or applying pressure on the tensed-up muscles.
- Spinal Manipulation Therapy
Spinal manipulation therapies are also called chiropractic adjustments. Your chiropractor will identify joints in your neck that need proper alignment.
They will align them back to their positions by gently moving them in the correct direction.
- Muscle Stimulation
Chiropractors use muscle stimulation as the primary treatment for whiplash caused by muscle dysfunction. Spinal manipulation therapy is done by gently stretching muscles that have repeated contractions and tension. Your chiropractor can do a forceful stretch on very tight muscles.
- Trigger Point Therapy
Your chiropractor can detect joints that display abnormal motions. They use a thrusting technique that restores joint movement to normalcy. They can also directly place their fingers on painful muscle joints.
- Interferential Electric Stimulation
Your chiropractor may also use an electrical stimulating device. This can help lower inflammation and pain caused by whiplash. The electrical stimulation device is painless and uses low frequencies.
Complications
Some people suffer from whiplash for years. They experience chronic pains and headaches for long periods. This is following injuries incurred during accidents. Doctors can only trace the pain that comes from damaged ligaments, discs, and joints. Unfortunately, severe pain from a whiplash injury has no known medication.
For more on how chiropractic care can help with whiplash, visit Ocean Chiropractic and Health at our offices in Fort Pierce, Vero Beach, or Port St Lucie, Florida. You can also call 772-460-9000, 772-569-3000, or 772-249-0779 today to book an appointment.