Four Things To Know About Post-Accident Whiplash Injuries

Posted on: 12 August 2016

The physical impact suffered during a car accident can affect many parts of your body. One of the most common problems people encounter after an accident is whiplash. If you've been in an accident, you need to understand some basic fundamentals of whiplash. Understanding whiplash can help ensure that you get treatment when you need it.

You can suffer a whiplash injury even in minimal-speed accidents. You don't have to be going more than a couple of miles per hour for an impact to directly affect your body. Impact at any speed produces g-forces that can affect the movement of your neck and cause tissue damage. Don't dismiss your risk of whiplash because you weren't going that fast. Your doctor can even confirm for you that the speed of an accident has little bearing on the severity or existence of whiplash.

X-Rays won't show whiplash. Even if you start experiencing pain in your neck and shoulders, x-rays won't typically show the presence of any visible fractures. However, despite the lack of fracture visibility, most whiplash injuries will present with some straightening of your cervical curve. That can be detected on x-rays, so ask your doctor if x-rays may benefit your situation.

Whiplash isn't just about pain. You might dismiss the presence of whiplash because you're not feeling direct pain in your neck and shoulders. In fact, whiplash can include symptoms like muscle spasms, headaches, swelling in the neck area, blurred vision, dizziness and nausea. You might even feel some tingling or numbness in your arms due to swelling and nerve issues. In addition, remember that symptoms can come on gradually, so be attentive.

Chiropractors can ease whiplash pain. Because whiplash typically occurs due to a misalignment in the cervical curve, a chiropractor can often help to not only detect and diagnose it but also to help treat it. Soft tissue manipulation and joint work with a chiropractor can often make a significant difference in your symptoms and your recovery time. You can improve your recovery even further by keeping up with stretches and other exercises at home, so ask your chiropractor about that as well.

As you can see, whiplash is more complex than you might have otherwise thought. Don't dismiss this type of injury just because it doesn't seem the way you've heard in the movies. If you've been in an accident, reach out to your medical care team and an auto accident chiropractor to establish comprehensive care. You can click here for info on chiropractic services.

 

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