Our necks play an integral role in many of our everyday movements. We often utilize the neck muscles and cervical spine without knowing it. Everything from making our beds to lifting weights to scrolling on our phones requires neck use.
After an accident that violently forces the head and neck forward and back, whiplash may occur, and pain can arise, making these daily events difficult or impossible.
Whiplash is a common condition after a rear-ended car accident; however, there are other ways you may find yourself with the injury.
Other common causes of whiplash include:
- A blow to the chin or physical altercation
- A forceful pull of the arms
- A slip-and-fall accident
- A collision, hit, or fall during full-contact sports or boxing
In most cases, whiplash is a product of an accident, not something that happens over time. If you are suffering from neck pain and have recently been in a sudden accident, whiplash may be the reason for your symptoms. Read on to learn more about whiplash symptoms and how you can find relief using natural methods.
Common Symptoms of Whiplash
Whiplash pain can be dull and aching or sharp and intense. Sometimes, it radiates into other areas, and sometimes, it sits in one precise area of the neck. No matter how your whiplash injury is affecting you, you want it to stop quickly.
The spine runs up the back and through the neck and is surrounded by many soft tissues, including muscles and nerves. Because of the connectivity between these intricate systems, when one becomes compromised, pressure is put on other areas not meant to support it. This can create more pain and further injury.
It’s for this reason that it’s important to visit your local whiplash chiropractor as soon as possible after an accident to ensure your body is properly functioning and that you get the required care to treat any imbalances.
Common whiplash symptoms and dysfunctions include:
- Neck pain
- Neck stiffness and achiness
- Radiating pain from the neck into the shoulders and back
- Back pain and low back pain
- Disc herniation
- Inflammation, sprains, and strains
- Headaches
- Shoulder pain
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Numbness in the arm and hand
- Irritability
- Mental stress and anxiety
If your whiplash pain is getting in the way of your routine, safe and natural care is closer than you think. At-home remedies and chiropractic solutions can prompt healing and recovery using holistic methods.
Treating Whiplash Safely at Home
The most responsible thing to do after an accident and at the first signs of pain is to seek chiropractic care. Doing so can help you avoid further pain and worsening conditions. However, sometimes, you don’t realize the accident was significant enough to warrant a trip to your Boca Raton chiropractor, and you start noticing pain hours or days later.
To treat whiplash symptoms safely at home, try these chiropractor-approved tips that can lend to the healing process:
- Apply ice to the neck and shoulders as soon as you can after the accident occurs; this will discourage swelling and inflammation of the tissues that cause pain, stiffness, and motion loss
- Support your neck using a neck brace, U-pillow, or other forms of support to give your neck a break from the consistent pressure placed on it
- Gently stretch and massage the neck, shoulders, and back to nurture healthy circulation to the injury and relaxation, as well as movement within soft tissues, muscle groups, and the spine; inactivity after an accident can cause more damage to an already impaired area
- Once the swelling has subsided, apply heat to the neck to reduce tension and stress and promote calmness and soothing sensations
While these tips can reduce your discomfort, you want longer-lasting results that can quickly treat the injured tissues and spine that are causing your whiplash pain. Contacting an experienced chiropractor should be your next step.
Visit Health-Fit Chiropractic for Safe Whiplash Treatment
Our Boca Raton chiropractic team offers several chiropractic techniques to help you get healthy and strong after an accident that caused whiplash. Your body has likely been through trauma, and we’d like the opportunity to help it heal with our safe, non-invasive techniques that get real and lasting results.
Common chiropractic solutions that can treat whiplash include:
- Chiropractic adjustments
- Active Release Technique (ART)
- Graston Technique
- Sports rehab
- Laser therapy
- Massage therapy
- And others
We’ll provide in-clinic solutions with lifestyle guidance, postural support, strengthening exercises, and stretches that will improve flexibility and range of motion quickly.
Book with our Bocar Raton chiropractic clinic today; let’s get you back to living your life with intention, integrity, and confidence.
