Whiplash Injuries and Chiropractic

headaches and neck pain

When you think of whiplash, most people immediately think “car accident.” But a fall or many types of repetitive movement may also cause whiplash. Sometimes the symptoms from whiplash take days or even weeks to manifest themselves, but the damage it causes can last for years.

What exactly is whiplash? It’s a condition in which the joints in the back of the neck, joints that usually slide easily over one another, are forced together, causing damage to the nerves, discs, ligaments and muscles all around them.

The symptoms of whiplash? Generally, these include headaches, dizziness, neck and arm pain, decreased attention span, an inability to focus and fatigue. These symptoms can be both very painful and downright debilitating to the whiplash sufferer.

It helps to come into our office immediately for a thorough examination if you have been involved in an accident and suspect that you might be the victim of a whiplash injury. The earlier you establish the proper intervention, via chiropractic adjustments, the better your chances for a full recovery.

Of course, chiropractic adjustments also help older whiplash injuries, but recovery is usually slower and care during the acute phase generally takes longer.

We manage whiplash injuries with careful and precise neck adjustments, sometimes ice and rehabilitative exercises that are designed to address the injured neck and shoulder muscles and joints. This has been shown to be very effective in managing the symptoms of whiplash, particularly the headaches that often accompany this type of injury.

Dr. Kirk Asks some important questions of interest to Moorestown residents - Chiropractor Moorestown Dr. Kirk Asks...

Do chiropractors prescribe medications for the pain?
No. Chiropractic is a drug-free approach to better health. Instead, we rely on natural methods. We can show you how to use ice to control pain. When properly applied, ice can have an analgesic effect without the unwanted and sometimes dangerous effects of pain medications.
What causes vertebral subluxation complexes?
Chiropractors acknowledge three types of stress: physical, chemical and emotional. When the adaptive capacity of your body is compromised, weakened areas along the spine can become involved. Muscles tighten, spinal joints lock up and nearby nerves are affected. The purpose of chiropractic care is to find these areas and restore balance, alignment and motion.