Our necks are rigid structures made flexible by the reduced stability and increase in structural and functional complexity. This lack of stability makes the neck super vulnerable to pain with any motion that causes too much stress on the area.

Whiplashes are neck injuries that occur due to sudden, forceful, rapid back and forth motion of the neck causing a stretch and tear in the neck muscles, commonly among car accident patients in Bremerton.

It can also be called neck sprain or strain, but these terms encompass other types of injuries as well.

Intervertebral joints, ligaments, discs, cervical muscles, and nerve roots may get damaged during whiplash injuries and cause even more pain.

Most whiplash patients get cured within a few weeks after injury with proper treatment but some do experience chronic neck pain, as well as other long-lasting complications.

Pain medications, heat or cold treatments, prescription meds, muscle relaxants, and injections are the usual go-to for treatment of whiplashes. Sometimes, surgery is required. But, pain, prescription medication, muscle relaxants, injections can be addictive, and cause other side effects. Heat or cold applications only relieve pain and reduce swelling on the surface level while leaving the root cause remaining.

Surgeries are expensive, not necessary for certain severity of damage from the whiplash, time-consuming, and are invasive, so it could cause infections and is not suitable for certain people.

Chiropractic treatments, on the other hand, are a more effective, non-invasive, and quick solution to whiplash injuries from car accidents.

Treatments like:

• Spinal manipulation for whiplash: Identifying the neck joints that are misaligned and positioning them back into their proper place.
• Muscle stimulations or relaxation as whiplash treatments: Gentle stretches to the muscles with tension and repeated contractions of the restricted muscles. It is the most commonly used technique.
• Specific trigger point therapy: Usage of gentle thrusting motions on joints that show abnormal motion to help restore joint motion.
  Interferential electrical stimulation: It involves painless, low-frequency currents being used to stimulate the injured neck muscles.
• McKenzie Exercises, Stabilization, and Sensorimotor: Exercises designed explicitly to lessen disc instability related to a whiplash injury.
• Soft tissue therapies: This aims to restore proper muscle function by applying pressure or stretching the muscles that have excessive tension.
• Instrument-assisted therapy: Non-thrusting method. Involves a device.
• Chiropractic Advice on ergonomics: Treatment suggestions to perform every day by self, with minimal body strain to prevent further damage and sustain better and quicker healing.

Benefits of chiropractic include:

• Quick and effective long-term pain relief
• Immediate care to prevent any further worsening and to get the best recovery
• No need for medications
  Reduces inflammation
• Raises immunity and body healing speed
• Increases range of motion and flexibility
• Is non-invasive and, thus, has no side effects, addictive properties, and is suitable for all ages and most health conditions.
• Increases strength and stability to reduce chances of future damage.
• Improved posture
• Knowledge of simple at-home treatments to reduce body stress.
• Reduces scar tissue
• Diagnoses and treat hidden injuries and problems
• More cost-effective

So, if you’ve just experienced a car accident and are worrying about your whiplash, book a chiropractic appointment.

Happy healing!