The neck is a complex joint that endures a wide range of stress. If you’re suddenly dealing with stiffness and chronic pain, you may be experiencing whiplash. This injury can linger for long periods after an incident, and it’s important to understand how chiropractic therapy can help treat it.

Your Guide to Whiplash

What is whiplash?

Whiplash develops when the neck and head are thrown back and forth suddenly and violently. The extreme force can injure the disks between spinal vertebrae, ligaments, muscles, and tissue in the neck, and nerves.

How does it happen?

Auto collisions are the most common cause of whiplash. When a vehicle is struck, it’s common that the head is thrown forward and back forcefully. This injury is also common in contact sports like football and can also manifest from physical abuse, such as assault.

What are the symptoms?

Many patients experience varying neck pain that can be mild and infrequent to extreme and constant. Pain often increases when moving the neck, and many people deal with a limited range of motion and stiffness. Neck tissue may feel tender to the touch, and issues like chronic fatigue and dizziness can develop. Blurred vision from the pain, poor sleep, and even emotional problems like depression can occur due to the stress of these side effects.

How is it treated?

Chiropractic therapy is often recommended for whiplash. Chiropractic care professionals specialize in joints like the neck and can properly diagnose the parts of your neck that are affected. Once they’ve identified issues like spinal misalignments through a manual exam, they can perform spinal adjustments to reposition vertebrae. This alleviates pressure on nerves and muscles, helping the neck joint to relax.

Chiropractic therapy also involves neck stretches and exercises to strengthen the injured joint. Often, the chiropractor will create an at-home treatment regimen you can follow between your in-office sessions.

If you’re struggling with pain and looking for treatment solutions, the team at Walch Chiropractic Center will help. Dr. Alan C. Walch, Jr. leads this Leeds, AL, practice and is backed by over 25 years of chiropractic experience. Visit their website to learn about their treatments for neck pain, back pain, and other injuries, and call (205) 699-4433 to schedule chiropractic therapy.