Each year, about three million people experience whiplash and back injuries. Especially prevalent with car accident whiplash, whiplash injury is common and often ignored, under treated, or mistreated due to a lack of understanding about it. Failure to properly assess and treat this condition can lead to more serious, chronic injuries. It’s very important to make sure you know all the facts about whiplash so that you aren’t mistreated and can get the help you need to end your discomfort and diminish the possibility of long-term disability.
What is whiplash?
Your neck is jam-packed with nerves, tubes, glands, blood vessels and many different joints. Your brain stem, spinal column and cord, discs, muscles, tendons and ligaments can all also be seriously affected by a neck injury. Whiplash occurs due to a sudden movement of the head that can tear, strain and hinder all of the above. In the case of car accident whiplash, it usually happens when the person is
stationary or stopped (especially at a red light) and someone else rear-ends them. The sudden force that is exerted from an accident like this causes the neck to jerk back and forth passed its normal limits.
- Whiplash Symptoms
- muscle stiffness
- shoulder pain
- neck pain
- back pain
- arm pain and weakness
- TMJ problems
- spasms
- headaches
- numbness and tingling
- difficulty sleeping
- visual disturbances
- ringing in the ears
- irritability
- memory loss
- fatigue
- dizziness
- difficulty concentrating
In more severe and chronic cases, see symptoms of whiplash associated disorder. These may include depression, anger, frustration, anxiety, stress and insomnia.
Treatment Options
The only way to determine if you suffer from whiplash injury is proper evaluation and treatment from an injury specialist. We can perform orthopedic, neurological, chiropractic, and other functional tests that can assess soft tissue damage, muscle strength, range of motion, and joint and nerve function. X-rays may also be taken to determine if there is any structural damage. Treatment for this condition varies and depends on the type and location of damage, along with the type and severity of symptoms present. Some patients may need various treatment techniques including chiropractic adjustments, deep tissue trigger point therapy, physical therapy, traction, or acupuncture. The most important measure, however, is education on whiplash including the causes, potential treatments and likely outcomes. Excessive rest and immobilization are shown to do more harm than good and lead to greater chances of developing chronic symptoms. Although whiplash isn’t a life-threatening injury, it can impact the quality of life now and in the future as degenerative/arthritic joint changes can occur if left untreated.
Even if you were involved in a minor fender bender, you can still be severely injured and not feel any pain at all yet. It’s vital to visit a chiropractic center, even after you’ve been to the hospital, to detect any possibility of an injury. If you’ve recently been in a car accident, schedule an auto accident exam today to see if you can benefit from our services. Florida law says you must see a chiropractor or other medical professional within 14 days from the accident to ensure coverage for medical expenses through your auto insurance.