Whiplash Injury? See a Corrective Care Chiropractor

A whiplash injury occurs when the neck is forcefully thrown in a forward and backward motion, as if literally being “cracked” like a whip. This injury is most common with car accidents, but can also occur during a fall or any other kind of impact to the head. The extreme motions involved overstretch the connective tissue throughout the neck including ligaments, muscles and nerves.

Symptoms of Whiplash

The symptoms experienced following a whiplash injury depend on many factors including the force and direction of impact, the posture someone was in upon impact, and the overall health of the individual. Symptoms can range from minimal to severe. Whiplash side effects tend to be delayed and lead to chronic spine and pain issues.

Common symptoms include:

• Headaches (particularly tension headaches starting at the base of the skull)
• Stiffness and pain in the neck, arms, back, and/or shoulders
• Neurological symptoms such as tingling, shooting pain, and weakness
• Neck and shoulder muscle spasms
• Sleep disorders
• Trouble concentrating, mood swings, and anxiety

Whiplash is often stigmatized for its connection to lawsuits and car accidents. Yet, nearly a third of people that experience whiplash end up reporting a long term disability. Plus, a significant number of people that experience whiplash suffer from chronic symptoms that ultimately affect their quality of life.

Whiplash Treatment That Works

Whiplash injury occurs due to a sudden change in the entire spine’s alignment and surrounding tissues. Yet, most treatment options (such as massage therapy, modalities, pain medication, injections, or a run of the mill exercise program) only address the short term pain issues and not the more serious underlying causes. Addressing the spine’s alignment should be a priority for restoring the body’s nerve flow so that proper healing can occur to damaged tissues.

Chiropractic care is a traditional option for addressing whiplash symptoms and is a normal and accepted form of care many car accident victims seek. To ensure the best possible results from chiropractic care, consider finding a Chiropractic BioPhysics (CBP) certified practitioner.

CBP is a science-based, results-driven approach that specifically focuses on addressing spine misalignment with gentle and holistic treatment techniques. When the spinal alignment is the top priority, it naturally allows the body to heal itself. From manipulation to exercise and education, a CBP practitioner will be more likely to achieve immediate and long term results. This means less downtime and frustration during the healing process.

Chronic, lingering aches and pains from a whiplash injury are no fun. Working with one of few specialized CBP chiropractors in the country can drastically improve chances of a quick recovery.