Whiplash Treatment
Have you experienced a car accident or a whiplash in Baltimore MD, Laurel MD, or Takoma Park MD When there has been a sudden acceleration or stop by force, the neck can quickly hyperextend and/or hyperflex causing what is commonly known as whiplash. Whiplash is the most common injury following a car accident, primarily because the muscles don't have enough time to prepare for the impact. Back and Pain Clinic in Baltimore MD, Laurel MD, or Takoma Park MD can treat you whiplash injury and other car accident injuries.
Whiplash injuries can be very serious and need to be properly treated. Whiplash can take a very long time before you feel noticeable symptoms that can be serious so it is best to take care of it right away. If left untreated, you can experience radiating pain throughout your shoulders, down into your arms, elbows, wrists, and hands or even down into your mid back and low back. It is also common for people to experience increased occasions of illness, headaches, and even pain in the jaw.
Repercussions of Whiplash injuries
As mentioned, left untreated there are a number of problems that can follow a trauma like this. This is a direct reaction of the sudden quick movements that can strain or tear muscles and can cause misalignments in the spine. There are other factors that can make the resulting condition worse including age, sex, previous health history and current physical condition.
The most common manifestations that occur following a whiplash injury include, but are not limited to the following symptoms.
Pain in the neck
The number one complaint after an accident associated with whiplash trauma is neck pain. Generally the pain will radiate to different areas including, but not limited to, the shoulders, into/around the head, as well as in between the shoulder blades. This occurs because the trauma most likely damaged the surrounding soft tissue in the neck leading to stress on the joints, ligaments, nerves and intervertebral discs (discs between the vertebrae). Herniated, bulging or ruptured discs are also a possible injury following a car accident.
Migraines/Headaches
The number two complaint following an accident is headaches or migraines. This can occur if there is a direct injury to the brain but also if there is damage or stress on the musculature or structure to the neck. This is because the pain will radiate into the head, creating pain.
Jaw (TMJ) Pain
It is very common for someone to experience pain and/or locking in the jaw following a whiplash trauma. Specifically, this occurs in the temporomandibular joint or TMJ. The dysfunction most likely will start with some minor "popping" and/or "clicking" with yawning, eating, etc. At Back and Pain Clinic we help treat this problem!
Low Back Pain
Yes, whiplash trauma is the most common injury but it is common to sustain injury to the low back as well. In a person has been in an accident like a rear-ending incident and can happen when a vehicle is struck from the side. This is a result of the sudden quick movements and it is likely that the low back underwent some kind of compression.
Healing After An Accident
If cared for properly, a person can recover fully from these injuries within a few months. Whiplash is a complicated condition that requires professional care because it encompasses injury to so many different areas of the body. At Back and Pain Clinic we are trained to treat all aspects of these injuries and fix the problem rather than mask it with medication.
We do this through safe, gentle chiropractic adjustments combined with soft tissue therapy and active rehabilitation. Chiropractic care is the most effective treatment for healing from the trauma and reducing the chances of developing manifesting problems.
If you or someone you know has been in an automobile accident in Baltimore MD, Laurel MD, or Takoma Park MD then call Back and Pain Clinic and take the first step to putting it in the past!
