3 Things to Know About Whiplash

3 Things to Know About Whiplash

Whiplash is a serious injury that can affect your head, neck, back, and upper body, causing pain and discomfort that can make it feel impossible to complete your daily routine. It can also wreak havoc on your entire body’s function, bringing about illness, disease, and chronic issues. Here are three things to know about whiplash and how a Rochester Hills chiropractor can help.

Whiplash is one of the most common injuries from a car accident.

While your upper body is properly restrained by a seat belt, your head can easily get jostled around. Whether you are in a car accident at a high rate of speed or rear-ended at a stoplight, whiplash is possible. Any time your head is shaken or jolted violently in one direction or another it can cause a whiplash injury.

For example, if you get read-ended it could cause your head to snap forward and backward rapidly. This can cause the muscles in your neck to strain out of their normal range of motion and put pressure on your spine. If you’ve been diagnosed with whiplash after a car accident, sports accident, or other injury, the chiropractors at Vitality Precision Chiropractic are here to help.

Symptoms of whiplash don’t always show up right away.

One of the tricky things about a whiplash injury is how the symptoms can show up in the hours and even days after the accident occurred. Car accidents and sports injuries can both be extremely stressful and disorienting events, and you might even be tempted to say, “I’m okay,” and brush off a bit of pain. But any time your spine is involved in an accident, you should take good care of yourself and make sure there’s nothing more serious going on.

Strained or torn neck muscles may not be able to support your neck well until they are able to heal properly. Your neck muscles can also become stiff and make it hard to turn your head from side to side. If it’s been a few days since you were rear-ended at a stoplight or took a rough tumble and you’re still experiencing neck pain, schedule a consult with your Rochester Hills chiropractor as soon as possible.

Chiropractic care can help you recover after whiplash.

Many people think of chiropractors as working on the spine to eliminate back pain, but they do much more than that! With an injury like whiplash, your Rochester Hills chiropractor will look at how your whole body was affected by the injury and give adjustments that promote healing. Dr. Thomas Madigan and Dr. Brendan Shanahan understand the complexity of whiplash and how it affects your spine, muscles, and nerves, as well as your overall health.

Adjustments can help restore your spine to its proper posture so your brain can effectively communicate with the rest of your body. Massage and other chiropractic techniques can also help soothe sore and strained muscles so they can begin healing. Your Rochester Hills chiropractor may also recommend stretches and exercises to strengthen your neck muscles so they can better support your spine in the future.