There are many things that patients don’t know about. Falls, sports accidents, and car accidents are all life events that can immediately cause painful injuries. These injuries can heal quickly in the short-term, or have long-lasting negative effects. One of the conditions that an accident can cause is whiplash, which can sometimes go unnoticed at first but can cause the victim to develop symptoms as time goes on. According to the NIH (National Institutes of Health), whiplash’s definition is “a soft tissue injury to the neck.” It can be caused by various underlying conditions, but it’s normally caused by neck strains or sprains. 

Although you may be checked over at the scene of the accident or in the emergency room, an injury may not be evident or cause noticeable symptoms right away. It is crucial to get immediate medical attention for your injuries following an accident. Even so, pain from neck injury conditions can continue on for weeks or even years after the accident. If your pain does not go away, then you should seek care from a professional chiropractor near you. In the rest of this article, we will go over what, how it can happen, what is it?, and the best way of addressing it. 

So firstly, what is whiplash? is a type of neck soft-tissue injury, and usually results in a sudden, sharply jerking movement. According to the NIH, whiplash usually comes alongside neck injuries that happen when the neck experiences “sudden flexion and extension.” Around two-thirds of whiplash cases happen because of car accidents. Other things that can cause whiplash include sports injuries, falls, and work injuries. It usually takes between two and 48 hours following the accident before the whiplash victim begins to register the symptoms. 

In most cases, the victim experiences symptoms such as back pain and stiffness. Patients can also experience pain stretching into their arms, shoulders, upper back, and upper chest. Approximately two-thirds of people suffering from it have headaches, which usually originate at the base of their skull. Patients can also experience negative symptoms such as blurred visions, dizziness, nausea, and/or problems with swallowing 

After any sort of accident (but particularly a car accident), it is important that you get an examination from a doctor. Although whiplash may seem like a small problem, symptoms could worsen and affect you for years into the future. The sooner the problem gets identified, the sooner you can begin treatment for it. 

Whiplash usually happens because of sudden falls, car accidents, or high-impact sports. As much as 83 percent of injury cases are caused by car accidents. It is important to note that whiplash can happen because of more unique circumstances. If you have been involved in any sort of incident where your neck was quickly jerked back-and-forth, then it is important that you get examined for any kind of neck injury. Some common symptoms whiplash patients experience include: loss of neck’s range-of-motion (abbreviated as ROM), extreme fatigue, vertigo, dizziness, tenderness in the shoulders, arms, and/or upper back, neck pain, neck stiffness, blurred vision, difficulty concentrating, and memory problems. 

So, how do chiropractors diagnose it? After being in an accident, noticing symptoms, and seeking out professional help, the chiropractic doctor will begin to question you about the symptoms you are experiencing and the accident you were involved in. The chiropractor will be curious about how your symptoms are affecting your everyday life, if they are at all. During your exam, the doctor will do various tests on you to determine the extent of your injury. They will test how tender you feel in your shoulders, neck, and/or back, as well as the range-of-motion of your neck and shoulders. Additionally, the doctor will test the degree of motion that your body can perform before experiencing pain or feeling more pain than before. Another important step is to test your limbs’ reflexes, sensation, and strength. 

After conducting the initial exam, the doctor will perform some imaging tests to better understand your condition. Although these tests usually do not show evidence of whiplash, your doctor may have one carried out so that they can rule out conditions that have similar symptoms (such as neck pain). Some of the imaging tests that doctors have done include x-rays, MRIs, and CT scans. X-rays are utilized by chiropractors to identify arthritis, fractures, and dislocations in the neck. MRIs can detect bone injuries, in addition to soft tissue injuries such as ligament, spinal discs, and spinal cord damage. CT scans are able to produce a cross-sectional image that shows possible areas of bone damage. 

Experienced chiropractors, such as our team here at Byers Chiropractic and Massage: Car Accident Urgent Care can effectively relieve pain from whiplash and other conditions, and encourage healing at the source. Chiropractors have many treatment methods at their disposal to help relieve the pains and aches of whiplash. Some of the most common types of chiropractic treatment include muscle stimulation and muscle relaxation, McKenzie exercises, lifestyle and ergonomic changes, and chiropractic adjustment. Here at  Byers Chiropractic and Massage: Car Accident Urgent Care, we will tailor-make a treatment plan for you so that we can properly address all of the areas where you are experiencing pain. 

The primary way that chiropractors treat the joint dysfunction that whiplash causes is through spinal adjustments. This process involves gently manipulating the joint by moving it into its proper position. Chiropractic adjustments can be done with slower movements, or in short bursts of applied pressure, with the goal of encouraging healing and increasing mobility. Instead of waiting, reach out to  Byers Chiropractic and Massage: Car Accident Urgent Care today so that you can begin on the road to recovery! The sooner that you reach out to us, the sooner that our professional Kent car accident injury specialists can perform an examination and create a treatment plan to address your specific needs. With the help of our experts, you will be feeling better in no time.