The Top Five Chiropractor Treatment Options for Whiplash

Whiplash is a condition that is often caused by a car accident or other physical traumas from sports accidents or even physical abuse. With an auto accident, whiplash occurs when the car makes a sudden halt and the passenger's head moves in the force's direction, resulting in an injury to the neck and the head. Whiplash also causes injuries to other body parts, like shoulders, arms, and legs. Whiplash is characterized by neck pain, fatigue, and many other painful and persistent symptoms. Visiting a chiropractor like HD Performance Chiropractic in Katy is a crucial step towards recovery. Continue reading to learn some of the whiplash symptoms and treatment options proposed by chiropractors.

What are the Common Symptoms of Whiplash?

Whiplash, in its mild form, is characterized by symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, headache at the base of the skull, and limited range of motion in your neck and shoulders. Over-the-counter prescriptions and icing of the neck and shoulders can manage these symptoms, but it is still important to consult a chiropractor for professional advice. The following are some symptoms that indicate severe whiplash cases:

l   Blurred vision.

l   Lower quality of sleep

l   Memory and concentration difficulties.

l   Ringing in the ears.

l   Emotional issues like mild depression and anxiety and;

l   Numbness or weakness in the shoulders and arms.

It is imperative to seek medical attention immediately after you get in a car accident and start feeling some of the symptoms highlighted above. Despite whiplash being relatively common and often mild, its symptoms can linger for months or years and progress into severe forms that can be debilitating. Untreated whiplash also heightens your risk of future injuries to your spine and neck.

It is important to note that Whiplash mostly mimics the symptoms of other spine and neck injuries that result from collision, fall, or car accident. Thus, it is important to get a comprehensive medical examination done to ascertain that there are no serious conditions. Even if the symptoms are mild and less severe, you can speed up your recovery and reduce the risk of future spine and neck injuries by visiting an experienced Katy Chiropractor at HD Performance Chiropractic.

How Chiropractors diagnose Whiplash

The chiropractor first evaluates your spine, as a whole, when you complain of neck pain after physical trauma. The chiropractor will identify any area of restricted joint motion, intervertebral disc injury, ligament injury, or muscle spasm. They may use a technique known as motion and static palpation to aid their diagnosis. The chiropractor will also feel for tightness, tenderness, or how your spinal joints move. They may observe how you walk and note your spinal alignment and posture. They may order an MRI of your spine or x-ray exam to evaluate any degenerative changes. The physical and neurological examination conducted by chiropractors assists them in developing the best treatment plan.

Chiropractor Treatment Options for Whiplash

The treatment plan developed by the Chiropractor must depend on the severity of your whiplash injury. Here are the top five chiropractor whiplash treatment options that Katy Chiropractor offers its clients.

a)     Manual Therapy

It is a primary whiplash treatment option for muscle-related dysfunction. This technique includes applying pressure over the muscles that are experiencing excessive tension to help relax that muscle and decrease muscle stiffness and soreness. The chiropractor will apply a gentle or firm finger pressure depending on the patients tolerance. 

b)     Electrical Muscle Stimulation

Despite most chiropractic treatment options for whiplash being hands-on, there are other efficient alternatives like electrical stimulation devices. This treatment option uses painless, low-frequency currents to stimulate the injured muscles. The use of this device can lower pain and inflammation that is often caused by whiplash after an auto accident. This treatment is used to reduce muscle spasms and relieve neck stiffness. This is done by sending sound waves to enhance muscle relaxation and reduce muscle-related tensions.

c)     Mckenzie Exercises, Stabilization, and Sensorimotor

These exercises are designed specifically to lessen disc instability related to whiplash injury sustained from an auto accident. Mckenzie's exercises comprise simple movements often done in chiropractic clinics and self-care done at home by the patient. These exercises give the patients the discretion to take an active role in their recovery process. The chiropractor can also use stabilization and sensorimotor techniques that are mostly used to rectify faulty movement patterns. This treatment approaches orient the nervous system to coordinate and control better movement patterns and enhance the ability of the neck muscles to improve and maintain their stability.

d)     Instrument-Assisted Therapy

These are techniques often used by chiropractors to relieve whiplash symptoms. It involves the usage of a specialized hand-held device that allows the chiropractor to apply force without thrusting into the spine. The Graston technique is also an instrument-aided technique used for the treatment of injured soft tissues. The chiropractor performs gentle repeated strokes using the equipment over the injured area. It is important to note that this stimulation technique can also be used for older people with the degenerative joint syndrome.

e)     Specific Trigger Point Therapy

The chiropractor may identify spinal joints with limited range of motion or abnormal motion (subluxations). With a gentle thrusting technique, your chiropractor can restore the joint's motion. This technique stretches the body tissues and stimulates the nervous system to reinstate normal spine motion. The chiropractor also identifies specific tight hypertonic painful muscles by applying direct pressure using their fingers on these points to alleviate muscle tension and pain.

Get Help from an Experienced Katy Chiropractor Today

While whiplash injuries are common and mild in most instances, the symptoms can persist and linger longer than you anticipate and heighten the risks of future spinal and neck injuries. It is, therefore, crucial that you enlist the services of a qualified, skilled, and experienced chiropractor to treat the symptoms of a whiplash injury sustained from a car accident. Are you experiencing any of the symptoms highlighted above? Visit our website to book your appointment or call us  at 832-479-9558 today to schedule an appointment and inquire more about the services we offer.