Helping you recover from the impacts of whiplash injury
Whiplash – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
What is a whiplash injury?
Whiplash is an injury that occurs when a person’s head moves backward and then forward very suddenly with great force. This injury is most common following a rear-end car accident. Whiplash results when the muscles and ligaments of your neck extend beyond the normal range of motion. You may not notice symptoms straight away so it’s important to pay attention to any physical changes for a few days following any car accident. Although whiplash is often thought of as a relatively mild condition, it can cause long-term pain and discomfort.
The severity of your injury including the amount of pain you experience and the length of your recovery will be influenced by the alignment in your neck (cervical lordosis) prior to your car accident. In addition the car accident itself can also cause injury to your neck alignment. At North Shore Family Chiropractors Chatswood, we provide effective treatment programs for whiplash injuries.
What are the symptoms of whiplash?
You will generally have symptoms within 24 hours of your whiplash injury. However some patients find that whiplash symptoms develop after a few days and may last weeks or even months.
Common symptoms of whiplash injury include:
- neck pain and stiffness
- headaches, especially at the base of the skull
- dizziness
- blurred vision
- constant weariness or fatigue
Less common symptoms associated with long-term chronic whiplash injury include:
- problems with concentration and memory
- ringing in the ears
- inability to sleep well
- irritability
- chronic pain in the neck, shoulders or head
Even if you have mild symptoms, a whiplash injury of any kind, especially after a car accident can create misalignment in your spine so seeing your chiropractic doctor for a full assessment of your spine is recommended. A small misalignment will only get worse over time so getting chiropractic treatment early will mean you recover faster and may prevent health problems in the future.
What are the symptoms of whiplash?
You will generally have symptoms within 24 hours of your whiplash injury. However some patients find that whiplash symptoms develop after a few days and may last weeks or even months.
Common symptoms of whiplash injury include:
- neck pain and stiffness
- headaches, especially at the base of the skull
- dizziness
- blurred vision
- constant weariness or fatigue
Less common symptoms associated with long-term chronic whiplash injury include:
- problems with concentration and memory
- ringing in the ears
- inability to sleep well
- irritability
- chronic pain in the neck, shoulders or head
Even if you have mild symptoms, a whiplash injury of any kind, especially after a car accident can create misalignment in your spine so seeing your chiropractic doctor for a full assessment of your spine is recommended. A small misalignment will only get worse over time so getting chiropractic treatment early will mean you recover faster and may prevent health problems in the future.
What causes whiplash?
Whiplash occurs when the muscles in your neck suffer a strain because of a rapid movement backward and then forward. The sudden motion causes your neck’s tendons and ligaments to stretch and tear, resulting in whiplash injury.
Whiplash can occur from a number of activities. The most common causes of whiplash injury are:
- car accidents
- physical abuse (being punched or shaken)
- contact sports that involve tackling or physical contact (such as football, boxing, and karate)
- horseback riding
- cycling accidents
- falls in which the head violently jerks backward
- blows to the head with a heavy object
How is whiplash injury diagnosed?
How is whiplash injury diagnosed?
Your Chiropractic Doctor will normally ask you certain questions about your whiplash injury, such as how it occurred, and the nature of your symptoms. They will also conduct a physical examination to check your range of motion and look for areas of tenderness. Your Chiropractic Doctor might order an X-ray to ensure your whiplash injury isn’t connected to any other type of injury or degenerative disease like arthritis. Other tests, such as CT scans and MRI scans may also be used to determine any damage or inflammation in the soft tissues, spinal cord, or nerves.
How can Chiropractic Care relieve Whiplash Injury?
At North Shore Family Chiropractors Chatswood we use CBP to treat your Whiplash injury. This is a scientific approach to spinal realignment and pain relief. CBP is the most researched chiropractic technique in the world which aims to restore the normal curvature of the neck and spine leading to healthier posture and allowing the spine to function at its best.
If you have Whiplash Injury or have recently been in a car accident, then contact our friendly clinic at North Shore Family Chiropractors in Chatswood to book in for an appointment immediately.
Let us help relieve your pain
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