One of the most common injuries resulting from car accidents, falls, or other types of collisions is whiplash. Whiplash is a common term for a disc injZury caused by cervical acceleration-deceleration (CAD) in which the neck is quickly jerked forwards and backwards, causing discs in the neck and back to shift out of alignment and muscles to painfully seize. The upper and lower back can be damaged as the spine is forcefully jostled and vertebra are shifted, causing pain as far reaching as the upper and lower back and even knee pain due to pinched and irritated nerves. Symptoms of whiplash include neck pain and back pain, pain in the shoulders, a tingling or pins and needles sensation in the arms and legs and headaches. Whiplash is usually felt in the spinal cord, and the most common areas of the spinal cord affected by whiplash are the neck, and the middle of the back. Often times, in case of car accidents, the auto injuries that are most obvious like broken bones or cuts are dealt with but injuries such as whiplash can take longer to present and lead to long term damage and pain. It is important to immediately seek care in order to restore long term wellness.

Chiropractic care is key to restoring health and wellness following a car accident. A chiropractor may employ different techniques in a combination specific to your condition resulting from the auto injury. Chiropractors often tend towards conservative care in general which can be especially good for a disc injury like one resulting from a car accident. Physical and neurological exams performed manually and through a series of questions will be in addition to the possibility of tests like digital motion x-rays. The chiropractor will use all three to locate the sources of the injury and proceed accordingly to treat the whiplash and set you on a road to wellness. A chiropractor may utilize different types of spinal decompressions and adjustments commonly used to treat the auto injuries that fall under chiropractic care in addition to techniques such as stretching, massage, and rehabilitative exercises that can be done at home. These techniques are designed to work with your body to allow healing and wellness to be restored long term rather than offering short term relief.

If you have been in a car accident it is important to see a chiropractor immediately. Auto injuries such as whiplash can lead to long term damage and pain if left untreated and chiropractic care can offer safe and effective treatments that will last.