As a practicing Chiropractor in Salt Lake City, Utah, I've had many patients come through my injury clinic with whiplash symptoms.
The numbers always seem to escalate during the colder winter months when the roads often become icier and the drivers seemingly less cautious.
There you are, driving your vehicle-- then CRUNCH! With the startling event of being rear-ended you make a quick personal assessment, you seem fine...
or are you? Although you may feel fine, you may have received a serious injury called whiplash...
a painful and very deceiving injury.
Whiplash damage occurs when your neck is stretched back and forth beyond its natural range of motion.
The neck is especially vulnerable to this type of injury because of its ability to move in so many directions.
What's interesting is that your vehicle didn't even have to be moving very fast, as whiplash can, and does occur at speeds as low as 5 mph.
There may or may not be initial pain brought on by the accident.
However, it is not uncommon for symptoms to develop over several hours, weeks, or even months.
Therein lies the deception of a whiplash injury.
Whiplash And Neck Pain Your neck contains several muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and nerve endings.
Whiplash can injure one, two, or all these vulnerable component parts.
Although whiplash is most frequently the result of a rear-end collision, whiplash can occur in several other situations like sporting activities such as football, gymnastics and many contact sports.
The neck may not be the only affected area as whiplash can often extend into other areas such as the upper back, shoulders and arms.
Most likely, a whiplash victim will suffer from headaches, numbness and tingling sensations, spasms and stiffness of muscles.
Chiropractic Care And Whiplash Recovery Even if you don't have any obvious or immediate symptoms after an accident, I would recommend that you visit a chiropractor who specializes in auto injury recovery as soon as possible.
Only then can an assessment of the severity and recovery of whiplash injury be made.
Your chiropractor will conduct an initial exam to assess the extent of injury which may include x-rays.
If the injury is determined whiplash related, a Chiropractor can initiate a number of treatments to restore strength, function and mobility to the affected areas.
Your Chiropractor will be able to employ a treatment plan that will not only help relieve pain and restore strength to injured areas but can also show you how to perform exercises and stretches to aid in the healing process.
Fortunately, with time, the majority of people with whiplash injury fully recover...
many within a few weeks.
However, some patients may have symptoms for longer periods.
Your age, sex, and present physical condition can have a major effect on the severity and length of symptoms.
The good news is that research has shown that chiropractic has been a very effective approach to healing whiplash.
Preventing Whiplash Injury There are steps you can take to minimize the risks of whiplash.
Whenever you operate a vehicle, always make sure your seats are in an upright position with the seat headrest positioned properly and that seat belts are worn correctly on every ride.
If you participate in sports, especially contact sports, make sure you wear appropriate and proper fitting equipment.
If you or someone you know has suffered whiplash or is experiencing neck or upper back pain, just know that chiropractic care is more than just making the pain disappear.
It's about helping you really recover from your injuries so that you can enjoy a normal active life again.
The numbers always seem to escalate during the colder winter months when the roads often become icier and the drivers seemingly less cautious.
There you are, driving your vehicle-- then CRUNCH! With the startling event of being rear-ended you make a quick personal assessment, you seem fine...
or are you? Although you may feel fine, you may have received a serious injury called whiplash...
a painful and very deceiving injury.
Whiplash damage occurs when your neck is stretched back and forth beyond its natural range of motion.
The neck is especially vulnerable to this type of injury because of its ability to move in so many directions.
What's interesting is that your vehicle didn't even have to be moving very fast, as whiplash can, and does occur at speeds as low as 5 mph.
There may or may not be initial pain brought on by the accident.
However, it is not uncommon for symptoms to develop over several hours, weeks, or even months.
Therein lies the deception of a whiplash injury.
Whiplash And Neck Pain Your neck contains several muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints and nerve endings.
Whiplash can injure one, two, or all these vulnerable component parts.
Although whiplash is most frequently the result of a rear-end collision, whiplash can occur in several other situations like sporting activities such as football, gymnastics and many contact sports.
The neck may not be the only affected area as whiplash can often extend into other areas such as the upper back, shoulders and arms.
Most likely, a whiplash victim will suffer from headaches, numbness and tingling sensations, spasms and stiffness of muscles.
Chiropractic Care And Whiplash Recovery Even if you don't have any obvious or immediate symptoms after an accident, I would recommend that you visit a chiropractor who specializes in auto injury recovery as soon as possible.
Only then can an assessment of the severity and recovery of whiplash injury be made.
Your chiropractor will conduct an initial exam to assess the extent of injury which may include x-rays.
If the injury is determined whiplash related, a Chiropractor can initiate a number of treatments to restore strength, function and mobility to the affected areas.
Your Chiropractor will be able to employ a treatment plan that will not only help relieve pain and restore strength to injured areas but can also show you how to perform exercises and stretches to aid in the healing process.
Fortunately, with time, the majority of people with whiplash injury fully recover...
many within a few weeks.
However, some patients may have symptoms for longer periods.
Your age, sex, and present physical condition can have a major effect on the severity and length of symptoms.
The good news is that research has shown that chiropractic has been a very effective approach to healing whiplash.
Preventing Whiplash Injury There are steps you can take to minimize the risks of whiplash.
Whenever you operate a vehicle, always make sure your seats are in an upright position with the seat headrest positioned properly and that seat belts are worn correctly on every ride.
If you participate in sports, especially contact sports, make sure you wear appropriate and proper fitting equipment.
If you or someone you know has suffered whiplash or is experiencing neck or upper back pain, just know that chiropractic care is more than just making the pain disappear.
It's about helping you really recover from your injuries so that you can enjoy a normal active life again.
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