June Newsletter: Chiropractic Care for Whiplash

Woman suffers from whiplash after an auto accident.

Chiropractic Care for Whiplash: Could It Help Your Neck Pain?

Neck pain and stiffness after a motor vehicle accident or fall could be signs of whiplash, an injury that affects the soft tissues in the neck. Without prompt treatment, symptoms could last weeks, months, or even years. Fortunately, your chiropractor offers several treatments designed to improve whiplash pain.

What Causes Whiplash?

Whiplash happens during a motor vehicle accident when your head jerks back and forth. Any act that causes your head to "whip" back and forth violently can result in whiplash. You could develop whiplash if you ride a roller coaster, fall when skiing, or if you are tackled or fall when playing sports.

As your head moves back and forth, several things happen to your neck. First, muscles in your neck become strained as they're pushed past their limits. The sudden movements may also change the alignment of the vertebrae in your neck and back, in addition to straining ligaments that connect bones together and tendons that attach muscles to bones.

Whiplash is a common injury. According to an analysis of crash and hospital data in Accident Analysis and Prevention in 2020, more than 1.2 million people experience whiplash every year.

What Are the Symptoms of Whiplash?

Whiplash symptoms don't always start immediately, but may start hours or days after your injury. Symptoms may include:

  • Neck Pain
  • Shoulder and Upper Back Pain
  • Headache
  • Stiff Neck
  • Reduced Range of Motion in Your Neck
  • Dizziness
  • Numbness or Tingling That Travels to the Shoulder, Arm or Hand
  • Blurred Vision
  • Ringing in the Ears
  • Abnormal Fatigue
  • Difficulty Concentrating
  • Irritability
  • Trouble Sleeping

Chiropractic Treatments Ease Whiplash Symptoms

Your chiropractor offers natural, drug-free methods that soothe sore tissues and realign the vertebrae in your neck. Therapies that might be included in your whiplash treatment plan include:

  • Soft Tissue Mobilization. Your muscles tighten in an attempt to protect your joints, vertebrae, ligaments, and tendons when an injury happens. Unfortunately, the muscles don't always relax on their own, which can lead to pain and stiffness. During soft tissue mobilization, your chiropractor uses his or her hands to gently stretch and loosen the muscles and soft tissues. As the treatment progresses, your doctor varies the pressure and the length of the strokes depending on the resistance encountered. In addition to relieving muscle tension and improving range of motion, soft tissue mobilization reduces muscle spasms and breaks up scar tissue. Although scar tissue is essential for injury repair, it may cause or worsen pain and stiffness.
  • Spinal Manipulation. Spinal manipulation repositions misaligned vertebrae in your neck and back. In addition to causing neck pain, subluxations pull on muscles and soft tissues, increasing muscle tension and soreness. Correcting the misalignment loosens soft tissues and decreases painful pressure on nerves. Your chiropractor uses his or her hands or an activator to quickly realign the vertebrae during spinal manipulation. The treatment decreases pain, improves range of motion, and may reduce the production of proteins involved in inflammation.
  • Massage. Massage may also be part of your treatment plan. The therapy improves circulation to your neck and decreases pain by relaxing tight tissues. As your chiropractor massages painful tissues, your body increases its production of endorphins, serotonin, and oxytocin.
  • Other Therapies. Ultrasound therapy may be used to decrease inflammation and ease pain and stiffness. The Graston Technique, a type of instrument-assisted therapy, breaks apart scar tissue and loosens tight muscles and soft tissues. If your pain is due to a bulging spinal disc, your chiropractor may use flexion-distraction to reduce pressure on your nerves.

Are you struggling with whiplash pain? Chiropractic care could help you get back to normal. Call our office to schedule your appointment.

Sources:

SpineUniverse: Best Practice Guidelines for Chiropractic Care of Neck Pain and Whiplash Disorders, 2/6/20

https://pro.spineuniverse.com/news/best-practice-guidelines-chiropractic-care-neck-pain-whiplash-disorders

SPINE-Health: Whiplash Symptoms and Associated Disorders, 4/18/2017

https://www.spine-health.com/conditions/neck-pain/whiplash-symptoms-and-associated-disorders

Science Direct: Accident Analysis & Prevention: Estimating the Number of Crash-Related Cervical Spine Injuries in the United States; an Analysis and Comparison of National Crash and Hospital Date, 7/2020

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457520300713

Mayo Clinic: Whiplash, 2/11/2022

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/whiplash/symptoms-causes/syc-20378921

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  • "I was very impressed with the chiropractic care I received from Dr. Anderson. I had received chiropractic in the past for my neck pain, but not to this level of care. After only a few sessions, my symptoms began to disappear, especially my neck pain, and I know I would not have been able to perform to my everyday work functions without the treatment I received."
    Neck Pain
  • "I have benefitted tremendously from the chiropractic care I received from Dr. Anderson. Not only has the adjustments helped alleviate my stiffness and aches, but it has helped me have more energy and just feel more balanced over all. A few months ago, I was able to resume a favorite hobby of mine: golf. Due to my previous pain, I never thought that’d be possible."
    Back Pain
  • "Dr. Anderson has allowed me to be headache free for quite some time now. I used to have daily nagging headaches that often would turn into a migraine leaving me unable to function. For the longest time, I thought I could just keep taking medication to have the pain subside."
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  • "As a court reporter, using my hands to type on a daily basis is a requirement. The work is speedy and can often last for hours at a time. Several months ago, every movement I made became excruciatingly painful. I started seeing Dr. Anderson and he put together a program for me that helped right away. He stressed the importance of my posture and proper hand and arm placement."
    Carpal Tunnel
  • "It's been 7 months since I got wiped out by a monster wave. I sought treatment at the hospital and they took x-rays and said everything seemed normal, that I would just have some pain for a few days. A few days actually turned into several weeks, so at the suggestion of my girlfriend, I went to see Dr. Anderson."
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