Whiplash is a common neck injury, often associated with car accidents. The name comes from the forceful back-and-forth action that can occur with heavy trauma, especially in a car traveling at moderate to high speeds, although this type of injury can happen with other types of accidents as well. Falls, physical assaults, and other traumatic events can also result in whiplash.
When this back-and-forth action occurs, it can injure the spine, discs in between the vertebrae, muscles, ligaments, and nerves of the neck.
If you’ve sustained this type of neck injury, the following symptoms will appear within days of the injury:
- Pain in the neck
- Stiffness
- Pain worsens with movement
- Loss of range of motion
- Headaches that begin at the base of the skull
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Pain in upper shoulders, arms, or upper back
- Tingling or numbness in the arms
Other symptoms are less common, but include:
- Blurry vision
- Sleep disturbances
- Ringing in the ears
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory problems
- Depression
- Irritability
The duration of a whiplash injury can vary from one person to another. While some people appear to heal within a few weeks, others suffer pain and other symptoms for months or even years after the injury. Older people, those who were injured in car accidents at high speeds, and those with previous whiplash injuries tend to recover more slowly.
Chiropractic care can address whiplash injury and help the traumatized tissues to heal. Treatment is unique to each individual’s injury, but can include manipulation, muscle relaxation or stimulation, and ergonomic lifestyle changes.
If you’ve sustained a neck injury, please call us immediately. We will schedule an exam to discover the exact nature of your injuries, so that we can get started on treatments and help you heal more quickly.