Here is what the Mayo Clinic has to say about Whiplash:
Whiplash is a neck injury that can occur during rear-end automobile collisions, when your head suddenly moves backward and then forward — similar to the motion of someone cracking a whip. These extreme motions push your neck muscles and ligaments beyond their normal range of motion.
Whiplash injuries can be mild or severe. Treatment typically begins with over-the-counter pain relievers and ice applied to the painful neck muscles. If pain persists, prescription medications and physical therapy may be helpful.
Most people recover from whiplash in just a few weeks, but some people with whiplash injuries develop chronic conditions that can be extremely painful and disabling.
My Take: Sure, many people that suffer a whiplash injury to the neck or low back feel better after a short period of time...but have they really recovered from the injury?
I have learned from many years of treating neck and back pain from whiplash trauma...that it's best not to leave musculoskeletal symptoms related to a car accident or other whiplash cause untreated.
What happens is the bones of the spine get knocked out of place and stay there...even though you feel better. In addition...the muscles, ligaments, and tendons that were injured from the whiplash, do not heal properly.
They end up being weaker, less flexible, more pain sensitive, and prone to re-injury.
In order for the bones of the spine (and spinal discs) and the surrounding soft tissues to heal properly the right conditions need to be in place such as proper position and motion. Allowing the injured parts to heal on their own sets the stage for chronic neck or back pain down the road.
More often than not, patients that present to Chiropractic Wellness at Brier Creek with chronic neck pain and headaches, have a history of whiplash injury from an auto accident.
It's sure a lot easier to treat a whiplash right after it happens than to treat a chronic back, neck pain, or shoulder pain syndrome years later.
Here's the deal...If you or someone you know has been involved in a car accident...recently or in the past...you should get checked out by a chiropractor. Don't wait until the neck or back pain becomes chronic and hard to treat...do it NOW!
Dr. Craig French is the Doctor of Chiropractic Wellness at Brier Creek in the RTP area. To schedule a complimentary whiplash evaluation call 919-596-2900 and mention this blog post.
