Car Accident Chiropractor in Alexandria
Many people will seek out chiropractic care in Alexandria after having an auto injury. A common auto injury, whiplash, occurs when the head and neck are whipped from back to front, similar to how a whip is cracked. The majority of car accidents are rear-ended collisions with whiplash being a common result. Whiplash can also occur from other kinds of trauma, accidents, abuse, and falls.
Many people in Alexandria who have been involved in an accident don't even realize they have received a whiplash injury until weeks or months later when the problem becomes persistent and leads to other issues. If your neck has been injured in an accident or other incident, this article will you to understand if you have a whiplash injury and how chiropractic care can help you to treat it.
Auto Injury FAQs in Alexandria
Whiplash refers to a neck injury that occurs due to the swift and involuntary back-and-forth movement of the neck. The reason this injury is named "Whiplash" is that this back-and-forth movement is often likened to the movement of a whip. This neck injury is often very painful and can be difficult to treat. While Whiplash is most commonly associated with motor vehicle accidents, it also occurs with other types of accidents, including slip-and-fall accidents and sports injuries.
Usually, the symptoms and signs of whiplash appear about one day after the injury. Some of the symptoms include neck stiffness, pain, loss of motion in the neck, fatigue, and dizziness. Whiplash has the potential to result in symptoms that afflict other parts of the body. For example, headaches resulting from whiplash tend to start at the base of the skull. Patients may feel pain or tenderness in their arms, shoulders, and upper back. Some less common symptoms of whiplash include blurry vision, irritability, difficulty concentrating, depression, memory issues, and more.
Individuals usually recover from symptoms within a few months as long as they receive basic treatment. Some examples of treatment for whiplash include chiropractic care and neck braces. In the early stages of the injury, it is recommended that patients move their neck to speed up recovery. Painkillers like ibuprofen are taken to reduce the pain associated with whiplash. Treatment for whiplash is usually based on the symptoms of the individual and is decided on a case-by-case basis.
Many people don’t realize how severe whiplash can be following an auto accident. Because symptoms might not be present or not severe many people delay receiving medical treatment after an auto accident. Unfortunately, waiting for the proper diagnosis of an injury and subsequent treatment can increase the risk of developing long-term and more severe complications in the future. Seeing a chiropractor as soon as you can after the initial accident will improve recovery time and lessen the chance of developing more aggressive problems down the line.
Understanding Whiplash
When the neck is whipped from back to front during a car accident, while playing contact sports such as football, or occasionally from an assault or other physical trauma, a number of things can happen to the spine and surrounding soft tissue. Whiplash describes the initial impact, but the results can include:
- Disc bulges and herniation
- Subluxations (misalignment of the vertebrae in the spine),
- Injured bones in the spine,
- Irritated and damaged nerves
- Pulled ligaments and muscles in the neck
What are the Symptoms of Whiplash?
Whiplash injuries can range from mild to very severe. Injuries tend to be more significant when your headrest is positioned too low. If the impact was quite severe or the headrest was low there is the possibility that bones are broken or tissue is damaged. It is highly recommended that you see a chiropractor and receive a thorough examination and x-rays. Even if the impact seemed mild, you may have whiplash if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:
- Neck pain
- Shoulder, upper back, and arm pain
- Headaches
- Blurred vision
- Pain when turning the head
- Inability to move or turn the head fully
- Dizziness
- Tiredness
- Numbness or tingling in the arms, hands, and fingers
- Ringing in the ears
- Difficulty sleeping
- Depression
As you can see there is a wide range of symptoms and not all of them may be immediately traceable to whiplash. Even if you have been cleared by a doctor, your pain could still be related to whiplash and you may need treatment to correct the problem. If you have recently been injured it's important to get your spine checked as soon as possible. The sooner that you start treating the issue the less chance you have of it developing into a long-term problem.
Chiropractic Care for Car accidents
Because the majority of whiplash incidents impact the spine and the surrounding nerves and tissues, chiropractic care is an excellent avenue for treatment. Chiropractic doctors are skilled in assessing the source of the pain associated with a whiplash injury and determining a plan for effective treatment. Chiropractic treatments are gentle and non-invasive. Through small adjustments, people find great relief from the pain associated with whiplash and are set on a road to full recovery. Call our team at Painfree Chiropractic & Rehab to discover how chiropractic care can help you recover from whiplash.
OFFICE HOURS
Monday
7:00am - 3:00pm
Tuesday
7:00am - 3:00pm
Wednesday
7:00am - 3:00pm
Thursday
Closed
Friday
7:00am - 3:00pm
Saturday
Closed
Painfree Chiropractic & Rehab
6121 Lincolnia Road #100
Alexandria, VA 22312