7 Signs You Have Whiplash From Auto Accident: How a Chiropractor Can Help
Were you recently in an auto accident and seemingly only suffered superficial injuries? Unfortunately, that they have not been true.
There are instances of delayed injury symptoms from a car crash. Even if the rear end accident you went through wasn't life-threatening, symptoms could start to appear days after.
Whiplash is the most common injury that can afflict people when they get into vehicular accidents. Aptly named, it's the abrupt back-and-forth movement of your neck, similar to a whip. Whiplash injuries won't heal on their own. They have both short and long-term effects that can worsen the condition.
However, it's not easily detectable. Here are 7 symptoms that can help you determine if you're suffering from whiplash:
1. Restricted Neck Movement
Restrictions in neck movement are one of the common symptoms of whiplash. However, this symptom doesn't show itself until 24 to 48 hours after the auto accident.
2. Neck Stiffness and Pain
The sudden snapping of your head, forward and backward, can strain and tear your muscles. As a result, you might experience stiffness and pain due to inflammation.
3. Headaches Starting from the Base of Skull
The onset of headaches usually starts days after the accident. You'll feel it originating from the base of the skull.
4. Ringing in the Ears
Hitting your head on the window or your steering wheel may lead to direct trauma. This can be painful and may result in having constant ringing in the ears.
5. Tenderness in Upper Back and Neck
The muscle strain you experience does not only affect the neck area. Since numerous neck muscles connect with the upper back and shoulders, you'll have pain in these areas as well.
5. Lower Back Pain
The lower back may be too far away from the neck, but it can still have whiplash symptoms. Propagation of pain from the actual location of impact is a common effect called "referred pain."
7. Dizziness and Vertigo
Dizziness, imbalance, and vertigo usually accompany the pain you experience in your neck and back.
Auto Accident Whiplash Treatment in Anchorage, AK
Even if you can endure the pain, the symptoms will only get worse. Chiropractors have confidence in their ability to treat whiplash.
Treatment usually involves gentle stretches that relaxes the muscles in the whiplash area. Stabilization and sensorimotor exercise train the nervous system for better coordination. This approach also helps improve the ability of neck muscles, as well as the neck's stability.
Contact us at (907) 333-6525 or schedule an appointment to learn more about how we can treat your whiplash.
Posted In:
Chiropractic
Whiplash Treatment
Auto Injury Treatment
