Whiplash is an injury which is triggered by the sudden and abrupt jerking of the head forward and backward – similar to the action of a bullwhip. Examination by a medical doctor and subsequent medical care by a Doctor of Chiropractic is frequently considered to be the best approach to remedy this traumatic and painful injury, in conjunction with basics such as relaxation and ice packs.
Quite often associated with auto accidents and contact sports activities such as football, whiplash occurs typically when a car that is standing still is struck from behind by another car, causing the heads of the occupants to move much more violently than their bodies do. The force of the collision causes the neck to become hyperextended, and the soft tissues that hold the cervical vertebrae together to become weakened.
For those who have suffered a whiplash injury, you will likely know either immediately or within a day or so of the event. If you have any combination of: neck pain, dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, blurred vision, irritability, insomnia, or difficulty focusing, you’ll want to see a doctor as soon as you can. He or she will likely run some tests and the two of you can then come up with an immediate plan for your therapy. Since this is an injury of the uppermost portion of the spinal column, seeing a chiropractic doctor will most likely be the recommended course of action.
Chiropractors are especially qualified to work with the parts of the neck that are impacted by whiplash injuries. Referred to as soft tissue, this includes muscles ligaments, facet capsules, and all the other parts that work collectively to keep the bones of the spinal column together and functioning properly. While you may have an image in your head of a person sporting one of those padded neck collars after suffering a whiplash injury, those collars usually aren’t used all that often anymore. The most current trend in therapy is to encourage movement of the neck early in the recovery process rather than immobilization.
Your therapy will most likely begin by trying to reduce the pain and swelling of the tissues with some gentle stretches and manual treatments. When the pain and inflammation have lessened somewhat, your chiropractor will begin to apply certain gentle adjustments to return regular range of motion, and you are well on your way to recovery.
Whiplash is a seriously painful injury that adversely affects quality of life. With good care and treatment by a qualified chiropractor, however, you can be back to enjoying typical activities in a comparatively short time.
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