What is Whiplash and How is it Treated?

Neck strains and sprains tend to be lumped together and are most commonly referred to by the term whiplash. Most commonly associated with injuries from an auto accident, any sudden forward motion of the head and neck or a fast, hard stop of the head and neck can cause a whiplash injury. The sudden force of the movement can cause injury to the head and neck, thus resulting in the symptoms commonly associated with a whiplash injury. Here at Family Life Chiropractic we offer the finest in whiplash treatment and chiropractic care in Clearwater and the surrounding areas!

What Are the Symptoms of Whiplash?

The pain resulting caused by whiplash injury is hard to ignore: and can be varied and come in many forms such as:

• Pain radiating down the neck and through shoulders or head
• Stiffness and numbness in the muscles of the neck and shoulders
• Tenderness in certain areas with an almost bruised sensation
• Headaches originating at the base of the spine and spreading to the head
• Loss of feeling in arms or hands and loss of range of motion in arms
• Reduced ability to concentrated and feeling groggy or confused

What's the Treatment for Whiplash?

In most cases, whiplash will get better on its own with rest and proper protection against further damage during recovery. However, there are a few things you can do to help reduce the pain and discomfort while speeding up the healing process:

• Using ice on the neck for 15 minutes every hour for a few hours a day can help to dull pain and reduce swelling so you can get relief from the pain
• Take over the counter painkillers that are available to reduce pain and discomfort for the first week while the healing process starts.
• Use a neck brace for severe injury but talk to your doctor before using it for more than a few days or it can make stiffness and mobility issues worse
• Apply moist heat once the swelling has faded after the first day or two to loosen muscles, speed healing, and regain mobility and range of motion
• Other treatments including massage or chiropractic adjustments are also helpful in recovering from a whiplash injury that is slow to heal up

When Will My Whiplash Feel Better? 

Healing times will vary from one individual to another and it is important to remember that everyone is different and one person’s body will respond to an injury at a different rate that someone else. You may need a few weeks to recover from your whiplash injury but someone else may need only a week and another person may need almost a month. Getting expert help from Family Life Chiropractic is a great way to get the help you need and the finest in whiplash treatment and chiropractic care in Clearwater and the surrounding areas! You can call us at 727-447-4647 to schedule an appointment today!