The tendons and muscles in your neck are vulnerable to many injuries. No matter how minor the car accident or any other accident may seem, it may cause damage to these essential connective tissues. During a sudden impact or a violent collision, the connective tissues in your neck may be sprained or strained.
While you might not see these injuries, they are as severe as bruises, cuts, and fractures that you can see. These injuries are medically referred to as whiplash. Many people ignore whiplash injuries, probably due to a lack of understanding of the condition. Today, we at Crosstown Chiropractic would like to help you understand what whiplash involves. Let’s explore.
What is Whiplash?
Whiplash is an injury due to a rapid or traumatic neck movement. Whiplash mainly occurs when an impact forcefully pushes your head into a position outside the range of motion of the muscles. This impact damages your neck’s muscles, ligaments, and tendons. While whiplash is not a life-threatening condition, it can cause long-term complications if not promptly diagnosed.
What Causes Whiplash?
Most chiropractors will tell you that auto accidents are the most common cause of whiplash. However, other accidents that cause your neck or head to move back and forth may cause whiplash injuries. These include:
- Slips and falls
- Bicycle accidents
- Falls from heights
- Contact sports
- Physical assault or abuse
- Repetitive stress injuries
Signs and Symptoms of Whiplash
Typically, whiplash symptoms take hours or days to show up. If you suspect you have a whiplash injury, don’t wait for symptoms to manifest. Instead, please book an appointment with a chiropractor immediately for pain relief. The common symptoms of whiplash include:
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Headaches
- Blurry vision and dizziness
- Pain in the arm, shoulder, or upper back
- Difficulty swallowing or chewing
- Fatigue /vertigo
Diagnosis and Treatment
It’s essential to have whiplash evaluated and treated by a medical professional to avoid complications in the future. Once you visit a chiropractor following an auto accident or any other injury, he will perform a physical examination first. Your chiropractor may also ask about the nature of the accident and may request MRI if necessary.
After diagnosing whiplash, chiropractors have different treatment methods to help with whiplash. Whiplash treatment aims to reduce and control pain, restore your range of motion and get you back to everyday life. Whiplash treatment options include:
- Spinal manipulation
- Therapeutic massage
- Exercises and stretching
- Muscle relaxation and stimulation
Schedule an Appointment with Our Chiropractor for Auto Accident Injury Treatment in Ham Lake, MN
Don’t let whiplash slow down your life in Ham Lake, MN. Instead, please book an appointment with Crosstown Chiropractic for pain relief. Call us at (763) 434-5714 for more information or to schedule an appointment with our chiropractor.