Why Whiplash is a Big Deal- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Have you ever experienced an increased tenderness in your neck and shoulder after a minor car accident? Maybe you even disregarded it, thinking its only whiplash and it would subside on its own after a couple of ibuprofen and a little ice. But that’s a big mistake many people are making. You don’t discount a whiplash injury. It can become more serious if you don’t take proper treatment measures. And the best way to take care of whiplash has been the use of corrective Chiropractic care.

You need to understand that your whiplash injury is more than just a sore neck. A lot happens in your body which you may not know. Well, read on to learn about whiplash injury, its symptoms, and the best treatment measure.

What does whiplash mean?

Whiplash was first known as the “railway spine” because it was commonly experienced in train accidents. But as cars became more popular as a means of mobility, car crashes became the most common culprits for whiplash injury. However, whiplash can occur from any number of accidents or collisions.

During a car accident, your head and neck tend to whip forward and backward after a change in acceleration. This stretches, sprains, and strains your tendons, disc, and muscles beyond what you’re used to, and it creates tears in the soft tissues. You may even get a concussion if your body is thrashed around with enough force.

More so, research by Harvard shows that if you’re rear-ended by a car moving 10 miles an hour, your neck can still experience up to 9 Gs of force. This means your neck can move nine times the force of gravity.

Common Symptoms of Whiplash

Your neck vertebra may suffer the injury, but the pains of a whiplash injury can be felt in all parts of your body. Some common symptoms accompanying this injury include:

Pain when moving your neck
Stiffness
Decreased range of motion
Headache
Fatigue
Arm tingling and numbness
Jaw pain
Dizziness
Tenderness or pain in the upper back, shoulder, or arms

Take note that you may not feel any of these symptoms immediately after a car accident. The adrenaline rush at that moment may mask the symptoms for days or even weeks. Hence, it is advisable to seek medical attention after a car accident for proper checks and treatment.

What happens If your leave whiplash Untreated?

Whiplash is not always revealed in traditional imaging testing because it is a soft-tissue injury. And this has caused many people to think it is a fabricated condition.

But the long-term side effects of not treating whiplash injury can be severe. The pain can become more chronic as time goes by.

You may start to experience:

Sleep disturbances
Chronic headaches
Depression
Anxiety
Poor concentration/memory
80% more likely to develop osteoarthritis of the spine

It is quite hard to predict your likelihood of developing these complications. Hence, you need to take quick action and go for proper treatment to prevent long-term consequences and get back to your normal life.

Treatment Options for Whiplash Injury

Most medical doctors do recommend pain medication, rest, ice, or physical therapy for more severe cases. However, Chiropractic care has been the most effective measure that keeps pain medications away and lessens your recovery time.

At our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, we offer corrective Chiropractic care for whiplash injury, and we also help if the car accident caused your vertebrae to shift out of alignment.

We have a team of experts led by Dr. Jason Jones who uses a combination of measures including therapeutic exercises, soft-tissue therapy, spinal adjustments, low-level laser therapy and E-stim treatment to encourage the body to heal naturally without any drugs.

So you see Whiplash injury is truly a big deal and you shouldn’t take it lightly. You can reach today at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC to get great care.