Whiplash Chiropractor

Getting Whiplash Chiropractic Treatment If Needed

If you are in an accident or have another incident in which your head whips forward or backward, you might have whiplash. You could notice a tightening in your neck and shoulders, along with other symptoms. How long will it last and what can you do about it? Figure out the details from a whiplash chiropractor so you know what you need to do moving forward.

Whiplash Causes

Whiplash is mostly associated with car crashes and it is often the cause, but it can also happen from a sports injury, abuse, a physical fight, or other incidents. Anything that can cause an extension of the neck could cause whiplash. The motion is like when you nod your head yes but done a lot faster and without your control. The injury comes about when structures within the neck are damaged. That could include muscles, nerves, discs, or ligaments. Small vessels could also tear and inflame the neck, causing pain and swelling.

Whiplash Symptoms

If you have an accident of some kind, you might feel whiplash symptoms right away, or they could come several days later. You might have a headache, neck pain, spasms in the muscles of your neck, a decreased range of motion, a stiff neck, and other such things. You could even experience memory issues, anxiety, and fatigue as part of whiplash.

How Long Do Symptoms Last?

Most whiplash symptoms will go away in a few days, but there are some people who have persistent pain and need treatment. If your pain is severe or worsens over time or if you have shooting pain that goes into your arms and fingers, you should get treatment right away. If you have any neurological symptoms like memory loss you want to get treated as well.

Whiplash Treatment Options

You might get prescriptions for anti-inflammatories or muscle relaxers to help you get through the initial symptoms. It is also a good idea to heat the are to loosen the tight muscles. You want to regain your range of motion as soon as possible without making things worse. Stretching exercises can help as well. One of the best things you can do is visit a chiropractor for an adjustment and possible spinal decompression treatments. Other things like massage and certain stretches can help you get through the pain and loosen up as much as you can. Whiplash injuries can get in the way of everyday life and they can sustain themselves for a long period of time if not treated correctly.

Finding a Whiplash Chiropractor

If you aren’t sure whether or not you have whiplash after an accident, but you are in pain of some sort, it’s better to be safe than sorry later. Symptoms can worsen if not addressed and they are easier to treat when you are seen by a professional right away. Visit Inner Balance Institute or call us at 619-543-9999 with your questions about whiplash. You deserve to feel like your best self and you can only do that once your accident injuries are behind you once and for all.