Are you experiencing neck pain, fatigue, dizziness, or vertigo after a car accident? You may have a whiplash. This is one of the common injuries that occur during car accidents. Whiplash is an injury to the neck’s muscles resulting from a rapid forward and backward motion of the neck.
Keep reading to uncover the benefits of chiropractic treatment for whiplash caused by a car accident and why it could be a better option for you than conservative treatment.
How Chiropractic Treatment Works for Whiplash
Any chiropractic treatment for whiplash begins with a chiropractor thoroughly assessing your injuries to determine the grade. Grades vary depending on the severity of the symptoms. Grade 0 whiplash usually does not show any symptoms at all, while grade 4, which is the highest level of severity, manifests in the following symptoms:
- Nausea
- Ringing in the ears
- Fatigue
- Difficulty swallowing
- Pain
When setting out to design a treatment plan, chiropractors assess not only the neck but also the whole spine, as whiplash may affect other areas as well. They use a diagnostic technique known as motion and static palpation.
After the initial inflammation subsides, chiropractors start treatment. Let’s take a closer look at the different treatments available.
Spinal Manipulation Techniques for Whiplash
A whiplash may cause a herniated disk. To better understand what a disk is, imagine a pillow cushioning the bones in your spine. When an inner fragment of a disk gets pushed out of the outer layer of the disk due to an injury, a condition known as herniated disk occurs.
The three main chiropractic techniques for dealing with a herniated disk are flexion-distraction, instrument-assisted manipulation, and specific spinal manipulation. Non-thrusting spinal manipulation achieved through flexion-distraction helps treat herniated discs by applying pumping action on the disc.
The chiropractor may also apply force without thrusting into the spine by using a specialized hand-held instrument to perform instrument-assisted manipulation. Specific spinal manipulation helps restore motion to a restricted joint with a gentle thrusting technique.
Manual Therapies for Whiplash
The Graston technique uses a special instrument to treat injuries to soft tissues. The main goals of this technique are to break down the scar tissue associated with trauma to the soft tissue and to reduce restrictions by stretching connective tissue.
Manual joint stretching and resistance techniques along with therapeutic massage and trigger point therapy are other types of manual therapies that work wonders to ease tension in the neck.
Chiropractic versus Conservative Treatment
While a conservative treatment of whiplash consists of immobilizing the neck in a soft cervical collar and using pain, anti-inflammatory, and muscle relaxant medications, chiropractic treatment addresses the root cause of the problem and is drug-free. This means that chiropractic treatment is less likely to have any negative side effects.
We understand that dealing with the consequences of a car accident may be challenging. Dr. Jorge De La Torre in charge of New Jersey Pain & Injury Center has assembled a great team of chiropractors and physical therapists to offer personalized care to every patient. Fill out the patient form today to get started on your journey toward whiplash recovery. Also, feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
