What to Do About Whiplash
Every fender bender can deliver a recipe for whiplash with your head balancing on the most vulnerable part of your spine. When a crash whips your head and neck back and forth, awkwardly grating vertebrae, straining muscles, and pinching nerves, injury and pain can ensue. Besides car accidents, sports accidents, slipping on wet floors and even carnival rides can produce conditions that may cause whiplash. If you have been in any situation like that recently, even if it does not hurt very much, it is very important for you to see our chiropractor as soon as possible.
Chiropractic Care for Whiplash Pain
Whiplash injuries worsen over time if not treated. Many people walk away from incidents that cause whiplash without realizing there is a problem because the pain usually takes a few days or even weeks to appear. By that time, your body has already been making incorrect neck posture adjustments, possibly without you noticing: muscles have tightened, vertebrae have become misaligned, and nervous system messages are misfiring. By the time you feel pain, significant damage has already occurred. The longer the damage goes on, the longer it takes to correct and the more pain you feel.
This is why you need to visit with our chiropractor right away if you are ever in a situation that could potentially lead to whiplash even if at first you barely feel any symptoms. Some of the early symptoms you may notice are neck pain and stiffness, headaches, fatigue, vision disturbances and difficulty sleeping. Shoulder pain, arm pain and upper back pain can also manifest. If you come in early, though, our chiropractor can evaluate the extent of the injury and work to correct it before the pain worsens.
The number of treatments (chiropractic adjustments, massage therapy, physiotherapy) it takes to heal the whiplash depends on the severity of the injury and also how long the injury has been deteriorating before you seek help. So do not wait: seek help for whiplash right away.