Dr. Charmaine Magale and the team at Active Life Team Chiropractic in Sacramento, CA, are committed to helping you overcome whiplash and other auto accident injuries.
Whiplash and Chiropractic Treatment
An auto accident can cause various injuries to the musculoskeletal system, but one of the most common is whiplash. In the guide below, Dr. Magale and the team at Active Life Team Chiropractic in Sacramento, CA, explain this injury, the symptoms it creates, and how chiropractic care can help you heal.
How Whiplash Occurs and the Resulting Symptoms
When a collision occurs, the force is strong enough to move the body around. If you’re wearing a seatbelt, the majority of your body remains in place. Although this could save your life, the neck is forcefully whipped back and forth or side to side.
This movement creates tears in the soft tissues and, often, causes a misalignment. The tears in the soft tissues lead to inflammation as the body rushes to heal itself. Unfortunately, healing takes time, leaving ongoing inflammation and neck stiffness. Additionally, it can create:
- Headaches
- Blurry vision
- Irritability
- Shoulder pain
- Dizziness
- Inability to focus
- Poor range of motion
It’s important to note that while this is a common auto accident injury, it also occurs in sports, during physical attacks, on rollercoaster rides, and during any other event that forcefully moves the head and neck.
The Role of Chiropractic Care in Healing
There was a time when the answer to a whiplash injury was to immobilize the neck and rest. Though rest is always an important part of healing, too much of it can lead to atrophy.
Chiropractic care provides a more effective method of recovery, beginning with gentle stretching and strengthening exercises. These help relieve tension and stiffness, improve blood flow to the injured tissues, and make movement more comfortable.
Once you can move your neck without so much pain, additional techniques are added depending on your needs. Adjustments play a key role in restoring alignment, but you don’t have to worry about forceful twisting and popping. Your chiropractor can employ gentle adjustments to suit your comfort.
Techniques such as massage therapy can further help relieve tension and inflammation. Each technique used can be balanced with the need for rest and ongoing stretching and strengthening exercises to help you recover fully and more quickly.
If you’ve sustained a whiplash injury, let Dr. Magale and her team at Active Life Team Chiropractic in Sacramento, CA, help you find the fastest and most effective path to recovery. Call (916) 551-1545 to schedule an appointment today.
