Whiplash

Whiplash or CAD injury (cervical acceleration deceleration

Whiplash is a common injury for people involved in car collisions. When a car is struck from behind or collides with another object, it causes the neck to snap back and forth violently. This causes the muscles and ligaments to overextend, leading to strains and/or tears. This is referred to as soft tissue damage, and can cause stiffness and soreness. Whiplash can also cause structural damage such as misaligned vertebrae, herniated, bulging or ruptured discs, or nerve damage due to the overextension from the violent movement. In most cases you aren't always looking forward and relaxed when the accident occurs. In some cases, you know its coming and have tensed your muscles, or you have turned to look at the other person in the car when the accident occurs. Each injury is specific to that person and the treatment plan is catered to the specific person and injury as well.

Chiropractic can help with both types of injuries. Adjustments and alignments can be performed specifically for those who have been in car accidents and suffered from whiplash. The pressure on the discs and nerves is released when the spine is returned to its proper alignment. Chiropractic massage can be used to help relieve the pain and discomfort from soft tissue injuries. If you have been in a car accident, schedule an appointment with us before relying on pain medications and surgery.

Pain killers can cause temporary relief from pain and discomfort, but it is not a long term solution. Chiropractic can alleviate pain by releasing pressure on the nervous system with proper alignment. It can also restore proper joint movement, helping to ensure that you use proper motion so that you do not cause injury to other parts of your body. We are not concerned strictly with the affected area, but rather the body as a whole. We aim to restore and maintain proper movement and functionality to increase your overall well being. When a Whiplash injury has occurred the healing process and treatment is catered to your specific injury.

What to expect when you come in...

First is to set a treatment plan that first gets you out of the pain you are currently in. Than you will go for the initial injury care to the rehabilitative care. This second part of your treatment plan helps build stability, strength, and relieves tension and soreness in the muscles and ligaments that were affected by the incident. Once you have then gone through the initial care and rehabilitative care you then are part of our maintenance care. During this type of care you are trying to continue to build stability and strength in the weaken and damaged area from re-exacerbated itself.

Whiplash injury

How can CHIROPRACTIC help WHIPLASH?

Chiropractors can offer to relieve pain in the areas of your whiplash. This is done by performing a specific chiropractic adjustment (spinal manipulation) Where your joint is gently moved to encourage your body's natural healing process.

Once you are out of pain then the rehabilitation is started. This includes low-force modalities, muscle relaxation and muscle stimulation. The goal is to relieve the tension in the muscles while also stretching and strengthen the area of complaint to help support the Whiplash Injury.

After manipulation is performed to reduce the pain, and after you have been rehabbed from the initial injury than comes the part in your treatment plan where you go into a maintenance care. This type of care includes changing ergonomic and lifestyle changes while also doing exercises to prevent an exacerbation of your Whiplash Injury.

Have you been in an auto accident and suffered from a Whiplash?

What is a Whiplash?
Whiplash is most commonly an injury that usually occurs during an auto accident. Whiplash is the process of your neck and shoulders going into a hyperextension immediately followed by a hyperflexion. This action where your neck violently goes back and forth causes injuries to the muscles and ligaments which leads to strains and/or tears. Whiplash can also cause structural damage such as herniation, nerve damage due to overextension, or misaligned vertebrae from the violent movement. Each whiplash injury is specific to the person and how their body reacted during the car collision.

Symptoms of Whiplash...
* Headaches
* Stiffness
* Tingling or numbness
* Neck pain and Soreness
* Muscle Tightness
* Restriction in your Range of Motion
* Dizziness
* Blurred vision
* Sleep Disturbances
* Irritability
* Memory Problems
* Tenderness in shoulders, back, and neck

How Can Chiropractic help?
Chiropractic can help alleviate your pain by releasing pressure points on the nervous system by adjusting a specific area to help promote proper alignment. With adjustments, you would be restoring proper joint movement, help reduce tightness and stiffness in your muscles, and enhance proper
motion so that other injuries don't occur to other body parts. The goal is to restore and maintain proper movement and functionality to your overall being.

With your chiropractic treatment there are a few phases to your treatment plan. Each treatment plan is catered to your specific whiplash injury. The first phase is the initial phase to get you out of your pain. Once you are out of pain then you would start your rehabilitative care. During this phase you will continue with your chiropractic adjustments as well as learn exercises and stretches to help rehab the area of your concern. These exercises aim to improve stability in your neck and upper back as well as reduce your symptoms. Once you have been treated and you no longer have any exacerbations of your symptoms and you are able to return back to work you move into maintenance care. During this phase of care you should be back to where you were before your injury and only come into the office when you have a flare up or you are having restrictions in the area of your injury that need to be adjusted. During maintenance care you will also continue to build stability and strength in your weakened and damaged area.