If you recently suffered a head or neck injury and are currently experiencing pain around the area, you most likely have whiplash. It is a common condition that affects more than three million people each year, according to NIH. Half of the victims go on to develop chronic pain.
Early and proper whiplash treatment is the only to reduce the risk of chronic pain. At Quantum Physical Therapy & Chiropractic Care, we treat whiplash using various approaches. Our multi-disciplinary team delivers a personalized treatment plan designed to help whiplash victims make a full recovery in the shortest time possible.
Whiplash is a type of soft tissue injury that occurs when musculoskeletal structures in your neck extend far beyond their typical range of motion. The injury occurs when external stimuli cause your head to move back and forth forcefully.
The neck structures most affected by neck injuries include the ligaments, muscles, nerves, and vertebral disks.
Most victims of whiplash were in a recent car accident. However, any type of impact that can move your head back and forth can cause issues. Thus, many people also suffer whiplash during:
You should also keep in mind that whiplash can occur at any speed. Even for vehicle accidents, whiplash can occur at speeds as low as five to 10 miles per hour.
Signs and symptoms of whiplash may appear within 24 hours of the triggering event. However, they can also show up much later. Some of the most common signs and symptoms include:
You should visit your doctor urgently to discuss whiplash treatment if you’ve been in a car accident and you notice recurrent severe neck pain and any other combination of symptoms above.
During the diagnosis, your doctor will focus on understanding the severity of your symptoms and how often they occur. They will ask questions to understand how you got the injury, the intensity of the pain, the affected areas, and more. They may complete a physical exam to confirm the range of motion in your neck and shoulder and also check for strength, sensation, and reflexes in your limbs.
In severe cases, the doctor may order imaging tests to rule out other health conditions, evaluate the cervical spine, and detect or rule out brain injury. Some of the tests include:
The results of the diagnosis will inform the doctor’s approach to treatment.
Successful whiplash treatment focuses on controlling pain, restoring your normal range of neck motion, and getting you back to optimum condition. The recommended treatment will depend on the severity of your whiplash.
For mild to moderate whiplash, the treatment options include:
Health practitioners recommend physical therapy for whiplash injury because it helps stretch out muscles in tense or injured body parts. Whiplash leaves muscles in the neck feeling tense after injury.
Physical therapy reduces the pain and tension around your neck through the combination of exercise, gentle stretching, and tissue massage. The specific details of the treatment process will vary from one case to another.
The therapist will examine the extent of the injury during the first appointment before putting together a personalized treatment plan.
In severe cases, doctors may recommend chiropractic treatment for whiplash. Chiropractic care can be incredibly effective; in fact, one study listed in PubMed stated that 93% of individuals who received chiropractic care for whiplash experienced relief.
Some of the pain that follows a whiplash injury is due to spinal misalignments, which put pressure on the nerves. Chiropractors can realign your vertebrae and alleviate pressure around the neck region through soft tissue therapy.
Chiropractic treatment can also improve blood circulation and loosen tight muscles.
At Quantum Physical Therapy & Chiropractic Care, our multi-disciplinary approach to whiplash treatment reduces the risk of degeneration to chronic pain.
Our doctors accept most insurance plans, including workers’ compensation, no-fault, and PIP (personal injury protection). Same-day appointments may be available. Call us today to schedule a consultation.
You should first see your family doctor after you sustain the injury. After the preliminary checks for other types of injury, your doctor may recommend physical therapy, chiropractic care, or both for whiplash treatment.
The recovery timeline will vary on a case-by-case basis. Some cases will resolve within a fortnight, while others can take weeks or months. It depends on the severity and the victim’s approach to treatment. According to Semantic Scholar, up to 7% of whiplash injury victims may never return to work after their injury.
Whiplash can cause dizziness. However, it’s important to see a doctor to rule out a concussion.
