Whiplash

What is whiplash?

Whiplash is a neck injury that results when your head moves back and forth quickly and with force. This type of injury most often happens due to falls, auto accidents, and sports-related activities.

Following the forceful movement of your neck and head, you can experience symptoms like:

• Neck pain
• Stiffness
• Headaches
• Reduced range of motion
• Upper back/shoulder pain
• Tingling into the arms
• Difficulty sleeping

In some cases, you can also feel very tired or dizzy following the injury. In severe whiplash injuries, it’s common to experience memory loss, difficulties concentrating, and vision problems.

When should I seek help for whiplash?

As soon as you can! The sooner you schedule an evaluation and get an exam, the better. If treatment is needed, the earlier you start the prescribed treatment, the less likely it is that permanent damage will occur.

The skilled chiropractic team at River Oaks Chiropractic Clinic can evaluate your level of pain, the range of motion in your neck, and any other symptoms that are interfering with your mobility or contributing to your pain. Your River Oaks Chiropractic Clinic provider creates a custom treatment plan to relieve your pain in the long-term and prevent your injury from getting worse.

How does chiropractic care treat whiplash?

Several treatments can improve the health of your neck. Chiropractic manipulations can help resolve side effects of whiplash, alleviating dizziness and muscle tension.

The skilled chiropractic team at River Oaks Chiropractic Clinic also offers alternative therapies like acupuncture to relax muscles in the neck and back and alleviate whiplash-related pain.

Cold laser therapy can be useful in relieving whiplash pain. This treatment uses light energy to improve blood circulation and decrease pain and inflammation. With more blood flowing to the area of the injury, you can expect faster, more effective healing of injured neck muscles.

Your provider might recommend that you temporarily limit strenuous activities that can worsen your injury or your symptoms. They can discuss how often you should schedule chiropractic treatments to improve the health of your neck and prevent additional injuries.

Don’t delay an evaluation of a neck injury like whiplash. You can schedule a consultation at River Oaks Chiropractic Clinic by phone or by using the online booking feature today.