Matias Health Chiropractic
PERSONAL INJURY/ Whiplash
Car accidents are traumatic! They are something you cannot prepare for mentally or physically in the few seconds you may have before impact. Sometimes, the damage to your car may seem minimal, but history proves that you can be injured considerably more than you would expect from a “fender bender”.This is why you need to see your Roswell Chiropractor. You may not have any broken bones, but what about the “soft tissue”? The ligaments and tendons may be inflamed, a muscle may be torn. Medication will relieve the immediate pain but will not cure the problem and that is why you need to see your Smyrna and Kennesaw Chiropractor. If you wait too long more scar tissue will form over the injury making your pain increase and hamper a timely recovery.
Whiplash Treatment
Whiplash can be a serious condition. Prompt whiplash treatment is often required to ensure the issue does not worsen or linger for longer than necessary. There are various ways to treat whiplash through chiropractic care.
What is whiplash?
Whiplash is a neck injury that results from a forceful, sudden back and forth movement of the neck. It often occurs during an automobile accident, although it can also happen in various other settings.
The symptoms of whiplash usually include neck pain, limited range of motion in the neck, and headaches. Whiplash has a wide range of severity, and the most serious forms of whiplash require prompt treatment. However, it is important to seek professional care for whiplash regardless of the severity. With proper whiplash treatment, the symptoms usually subside in a few weeks after the injury.
If you’ve been injured in a car crash, you know how painful and debilitating it can be. You might be suffering from neck pain, headaches, back pain, or even dizziness.
Chiropractic whiplash treatment
While pain relief medication may relieve the symptoms temporarily, chiropractic care for whiplash may be necessary for long-term relief. At our chiropractic clinic, we have the equipment and expertise necessary to administer long-term whiplash treatment. Here are a few of the whiplash treatments you may receive at our office.
Stretching and movement
One of the main goals of whiplash treatment is to restore the range of motion in the neck. In most instances, the best way to restore the range of motion is through a series of stretches and movement exercises. These movements help relax the tension in the neck.
During a visit to our chiropractic clinic for whiplash treatment, we may perform a series of neck and shoulder stretches to relieve tension and fully restore your neck’s range of motion.
Joint manipulation
Many cases of whiplash can be treated through a series of joint manipulation techniques. These movements help to realign the muscles, ligaments and joints that may have been affected during a car accident or other traumatic event.
Joint manipulation is similar to a massage. It strategically applies pressure to the joints to relieve the symptoms of whiplash. Joint manipulation does not only provide short-term relief for whiplash symptoms. It can also help ensure the patient is pain-free for the long-term.
Benefits of post-accident chiropractic treatments
Benefits of post-accident chiropractic treatments
Inflammation is a common consequence of physical injury. While some amount of inflammation is normal and indicates your body’s attempts to heal itself, too much can be harmful to your tissues and can cause discomfort. When a chiropractor manipulates your spine to realign the spinal cord, your body may respond by cutting back on its inflammatory cytokine production, which can lower the inflammatory response in your body and reduce pain.
Inflammatory back pain presents in different ways than mechanical back pain. Symptoms of excessive inflammation in the spine include stiffness and pain that increases after periods of inactivity. If your back pain is due to inflammation, you will most likely feel the most pain when you first wake in the morning.
Minimize pain
When you receive chiropractic adjustments after a car accident, you can potentially minimize pain throughout your body. During spinal manipulations conducted by a chiropractor, your body naturally releases pain-relieving hormones. A study conducted by The University of Spain showed that levels of oxytocin, neurotensin and cortisol in the blood stream increased in test subjects after spinal manipulation.
Restore range of motion
When you are injured in a car accident, your neck or back can lose flexibility. Loss of flexibility can be due to misalignment of the joints in the spine, development of scar tissue and/or inflammation. A chiropractic adjustment can restore range of motion by mobilizing your spine and returning the joints to proper alignment.
Reduce scar tissue
It is normal for scar tissue to develop after a car accident injury. When muscles or tendons are damaged, the body attempts to heal them by forming scar tissue from collagen. Unfortunately, scar tissue can cause long-term pain and stiffness. In many cases, the tissue will heal on its own and eventually function like normal tissue. However, if it is causing you discomfort, a chiropractor can use specific techniques to break the scar tissue up so the area can heal faster.
Experience non-invasive treatment
Most people want to avoid surgery after a car accident if possible. However, if you wait too long to treat your injuries, surgery could end up being your only option. Chiropractic treatments are non-invasive and align the spine without surgical intervention. If you visit a chiropractor for treatment soon after your injury, you may reduce your chances of requiring surgery in the future.
Conclusion
Chiropractors use a variety of tools and techniques to realign individual vertebrae and restore joint flexibility after a car accident. Benefits of spinal manipulation and other services offered by doctors of chiropractic include decreased inflammation and pain, restored range of motion and reduced scar tissue.