Other Causes of Whiplash Injury
If you are experiencing pain in your neck but have not been in a car accident, do not write it off and assume that you do not need whiplash treatment. The injury can result from many other activities.
Other common causes of whiplash include sports injuries, slips and falls, a hit to the head, or any instance where your body is violently shaken. Additionally, there are risk factors that may increase your chance of suffering a whiplash injury.
Risk factors include:
- Having a previous whiplash injury
- Old age
- Having osteoporosis
- Having degenerative disk or joint disorders
- Existing spinal health issues
- Being in a high-speed or high-impact accident
Strains & Sprains
With a neck strain, there may be damage to the muscle or tendons. A neck sprain involves the tearing of ligaments in the neck. A high-speed, rear-end accident is likely to cause a large amount strains and sprains.
Whiplash treatment can help you find relief. The professionals at ChiroCare of Florida are ready to provide you with a treatment plan to fit your exact needs. Your health is the number one priority at ChiroCare of Florida.
You may be eligible to receive up to $10,000 in medical benefits for your whiplash treatment. If you are seeking a personal injury settlement resulting from an accident, the doctors at ChiroCare of Florida can serve as expert medical witnesses in your case. We are able to attest to the extent of your injury, how it impacts your daily life, and the costs that you will incur relating to whiplash treatment. These are all crucial elements that help determine your settlement. For this reason, seeking whiplash treatment as soon as possible following an automobile accident is critical and it can greatly help your case.
Signs of a Whiplash Injury
After an accident, you are likely to feel some pain and decreased range of motion. Even if the pain is minimal, it could worsen hours after the crash. Some signs of whiplash can include:
- Pain when moving your head side to side
- Tenderness
- Headaches at the base of the skull
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Difficulty sleeping
- Memory problems
- Tingling or numbness in the arms
- A decrease in range of motion in your neck
- Pain in the shoulders, upper back, and arms
- Stiffness in the neck, shoulders, upper back, and arms
- Blurry vision
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Mood disturbances
- Difficulty concentrating
Signs and symptoms of whiplash usually develop within 24 hours of the accident, which is why it is crucial to seek medical treatment immediately.
How Long to Expect Whiplash Symptoms
How long whiplash can last is dependent on how serious the whiplash is. Typically, most pain will dissipate within three months from the onset of symptoms. However, more exaggerated strains may take up to a year to fully heal. Even then, chronic pain may persist if not treated properly.
It is crucial to remember each body heals differently, and not to push yourself too hard. Do not attempt to immediately resume the level of physical activity you were exercising prior to your accident. Given that some neck strains may take months to heal, always consult your chiropractor for their recommendation prior to resuming activity.
The Dangers of Not Seeking Whiplash Treatment
If you do not seek whiplash treatment for an injury there can be lasting effects. You may experience a permanent limited range of motion in your neck, chronic pain and stiffness, chronic headaches and migraines, and more. You may also experience a condition known as referred or reflective pain.
Referred or reflected pain is pain felt in other areas of the body than where the injury is present. With whiplash, this pain often affects the shoulders, upper back, and can spread down the arms.
Whiplash symptoms do not always appear right away following an accident. It may take hours, or even days for the symptoms to become evident. While you may associate the symptoms as being a simple result of the accident or injury, it is important to seek treatment so that a chiropractor can evaluate the vertebrae and muscles in your neck. The sooner you seek whiplash treatment the better your prognosis is and the speedier your recovery will be.
Whiplash Treatment Options
No matter if your whiplash injury involves a strain or sprain, the symptoms and whiplash treatment options are usually the same.
Recovering from whiplash can take several months, and some people may suffer chronic pain. Though there are conventional treatments such as over-the-counter pain medication and icing your neck, many accident victims will find that their pain only gets worse over time.
Embracing chiropractic care for whiplash can help you get your range of motion back and reduce your neck pain.
An experienced chiropractor at ChiroCare of Florida will work to reduce the inflammation in your neck first. The doctor may use hot/cold therapy and recommend the use of neck support for a short period of time. Spinal manipulation may also be an option for restoring your range of motion. Other treatment options could include ultrasound therapy, electrical stimulation, massage therapy and various stretches.
Seek Medical Help from a Whiplash Chiropractor as Soon as Possible
Your whiplash treatment plan will be based on the severity of your injury.
The doctors at ChiroCare of Florida can determine the extent of your injuries and determine what treatment options will work best.
If you have suffered a whiplash injury, contact us today. You may be eligible to receive up to $10,000 in medical benefits, which can help you get the whiplash treatment you need.
In the state of Florida, there is a law known as the 14-day rule. If you are in a car accident, what this means is that you must seek medical care within 14 days to receive personal injury protection benefits. If you fail to do so, your insurance claim and any personal injury suit you attempt to file can be greatly damaged. Even if you do not experience pain immediately following an accident, seek an evaluation to see if you require whiplash treatment. The sooner you do so the better, not just for your personal injury claim, but also for your health and recovery.
Whiplash treatment is available at all of our South Florida locations:
Click a location near you above to book an appointment today! Our compassionate staff will advise you on how to prepare for your initial visit and any paperwork you should bring with you. If you have undergone previous whiplash treatment, we may ask that you bring medical records or copies of X-rays if they are available.
