How A Chiropractor Can Help Your Whiplash Pain After You've Had A Car Accident
If you've recently been in a motor vehicle accident and have neck pain, you might have whiplash. Whiplash is a common neck injury that occurs as a result of the quick movement of your head when your car is struck in a collision. The severity of whiplash varies, so your case could be mild and quick to heal, or your pain could be severe and turn into a chronic problem. A chiropractor who specializes in treating car accident injuries can help you manage your whiplash pain and help you heal from it properly. Here are some treatments that might help.
Treatments For Pain Relief
Initially, your treatments will probably focus on pain relief and preventing further injury. Your chiropractor may use cold therapy, heat, or ultrasound treatments on your neck. Massage may help as well. You might need to wear a foam collar at first to prevent pain from moving your head, but you probably won't wear it for too long or your neck muscles might get weak.
In addition to examining your neck, your chiropractor will examine your spine and back as a whole to look for further injuries that might be made worse by limited neck mobility. The pain-relieving treatments may be given to areas of your back as well as your neck.
Exercises And Stretches
Your chiropractor may teach you specific exercises designed to help your spine and neck heal; You may do the exercises under supervision for a few sessions and then do them by yourself at home. Neck exercises stretch the muscles and tissues in your neck to promote healing and restore range of motion. They also strengthen the muscles that may have weakened due to limited mobility of your neck.
Other exercises focus on your spine to stretch it and bring it back into alignment to relieve pain caused by compression or misalignment. While certain types of exercise and activity help you heal, you may not be able to resume normal activities for a few weeks, especially if you play sports or have a physically demanding job.
Spinal Adjustments
Once the acute phase of intense pain has passed, your chiropractor may begin a series of spinal adjustment treatments. These won't necessarily be the forceful treatments you may associate with a chiropractor. Effective results can also be obtained through gentle movements that coax your vertebra back into proper positioning.
Gentle treatments are needed if you have pain, spinal damage, or frailty. These treatments not only treat your whiplash, but they can also treat other existing spinal problems and restore health to your entire spine so you feel less pain in your neck, back, and in your arm from the car accident injury.
A chiropractor has several means available for helping you with whiplash pain and recovery that don't involve aggressive spinal manipulations, so don't let fear of pain keep you from seeking the help you need after you've had an accident.
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