Auto Injury Treatment: What to Expect at Whiplash Pain Center

Whiplash is a form of neck sprain due to sudden and forceful head and neck movement. The movement forces the neck and upper spine to move in an unnatural way, causing injury. It often happens due to auto accidents, but it can also be caused by physical abuse, sports injuries, and other incidents.

The condition can have multiple effects known as whiplash-associated disorders. Learn more about auto injury treatment and what to expect at Whiplash Pain Center.

How Whiplash Occurs

Whiplash happens when the neck muscles and soft ligaments extend beyond their natural range of motion. In most cases, whiplash symptoms do not occur immediately after the incident. After some time, you experience high stress levels in the neck.

People often consider whiplash mild immediately after the injury, but it can lead to long-term pain and discomfort. You should get immediate medical attention after an accident, even if you do not have any physical injuries.

Symptoms of Whiplash

Most whiplash symptoms occur within 24 hours after the accident. In some cases, individuals experience the symptoms after several days. The pain or discomfort can last several weeks. Common symptoms include:

Neck stiffness.
Dizziness.
Neck pain.
Headaches.
Feeling weary.
Blurry vision.
Ringing in the ears.

In some cases, individuals may experience irritability, issues with memory or concentration, sleep difficulties, and chronic head, shoulder, and back pain.

Auto Injury Treatment

It would help if you got emergency treatment after an auto injury. If you experience whiplash symptoms, you need immediate professional care. If not treated, the symptoms can increase, causing long-term complications.

Common whiplash treatments include immobilization, medications, cold and heat applications, physical therapy, radiofrequency nerve ablation, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy. In severe cases, doctors may recommend spinal surgery. Health practitioners assess the patient’s condition to determine the best treatment option.

Chiropractic Care for Auto Injuries

You can get chiropractic care to treat whiplash. The goal of the treatment is to enable the body to heal itself. Before treatment, the chiropractor will ask about your injuries and conduct a physical exam, which includes checking the range of motion.

You may need an X-ray or MRI to determine the underlying cause of pain and the extent of the injury. Chiropractors use spinal adjustments and other soft tissue therapy techniques to reduce whiplash pain and inflammation.

Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Whiplash

Chiropractors help to create individualized treatment plans for each patient. Spinal adjustments help to realign the upper spine, treating whiplash. There are many benefits of chiropractic care:

It provides immediate pain relief.
It helps to reduce inflammation.
It is non-invasive and non-addictive.
It helps to improve circulation and boost energy.
Improves the range of motion in the neck.

Chiropractic care can contribute to a proper and speedy recovery from auto injury. Chiropractic treatments after auto accidents are usually covered by insurance.

If untreated, whiplash injuries can worsen, causing long-term discomfort. The condition can lead to poor posture, chronic pain, and neurological problems. Whiplash can increase the risk of developing degenerative disc disease. Chiropractic care can contribute to a proper and speedy recovery from an auto injury.

For more on auto injury treatment and what to expect, visit Whiplash Pain Center. Our offices are in Johns Island, Charleston, Holly Hill, Summerville, and Walterboro, South Carolina. Call (843) 573-9333, (803) 496-3338, or (843) 371-1371 to book an appointment today.