Whiplash
The term "whiplash" is used to describe injury to the neck resulting from a sudden back and forth whipping movement often due to a front or rear end auto collision.
When hit from behind, the body is quickly moved forward causing the head to snap backward. The muscles, tendons and ligaments in the front of the neck are quickly stretched and sometimes torn. As the body rebounds (with the trunk being slowed down by either the seatbelt and/or the steering wheel or airbag), the head is then thrown forward injuring structures in the back of the neck. This sequence occurs in reverse during a front end collision.
The quick back and forth motion of the neck resembles the end of a whip being cracked, hence the term "whiplash."
Common signs of whiplash injury include: headache, dizziness, nausea, neck pain and muscle spasm. Symptoms can begin immediately after the collision or could start days or even weeks later. A lack of obvious symptoms or the presence of only minor vehicle damage does not always guarantee that injury has not occurred.
Changes to the alignment and balance of neck structures often produce negative effects later in life from years of abnormal motion following a whiplash injury. Extensive research shows an increased rate of arthritis 3 to 10 years following an accident.
Chiropractors are the specialists for treating whiplash injuries. Whether you have been injured recently or are experiencing chronic symptoms from a prior accident, seek an evaluation by a Doctor of Chiropractic to prevent future pain and accelerated spinal degeneration.
Posted In:
Chiropractic
Whiplash
Auto Injury
