Whiplash is a common injury after car accidents. Many people don't immediately notice or feel the symptoms of whiplash due to the shock and adrenaline rush after an accident. However, you may begin to feel pain in your neck, shoulder, or have headaches once your body has returned to a normal state.

Some people will avoid seeking treatment, thinking the pain will naturally disappear. While in some instances that's true, what happens if you leave whiplash untreated? The best way to talk to a car accident chiropractor in Alaska.

Are you seeking treatment after a car accident? Contact us today to get help!

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What Is Whiplash?

Whiplash, which is medically known as a cervical acceleration deacceleration (CAD) injury, is caused when your head is jerked quickly and forcefully back and forward. The sudden movements can cause your neck and spine to stretch unnaturally.

Whiplash can cause significant pain and may damage your neck and back joints, muscles, and ligaments. The abrupt jerking motion can affect your entire spine, causing disc injuries and other severe spinal problems.

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How Can You Get Whiplash?

Motor vehicle accidents most commonly cause whiplash. It can often be caused during a read-end car crash, but any car accident can give you whiplash, no matter the speed.

You can also get it from several other incidents, including:

• Slips and falls
• Assault
• Sports activities
• And different types of impact

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What Are Symptoms of Whiplash?

Whiplash can bring on serval symptoms that are painful or uncomfortable. You may not know that you got whiplash immediately, but within a few hours or days, you will begin to feel sore and stiff.

You may have trouble turning your head or nodding. Muscle, neck, headaches, and back pains may not show until later. Although you can feel pain in various parts of your body after getting whiplash, here are a few common places where symptoms are most prevalent.

Headaches

Headaches are a common symptom of whiplash injuries. Many times, you will feel pain in the back of your head. A common sign of whiplash is if the pain worsens where your head meets your neck.

You may also experience pain that radiates to the top, front, or temples of your head. Pain that runs down your neck is also common. These migraines may be continuous or come and go.

Neck Pain

Having dull, aching neck pains is a common sign that you have whiplash. It may affect the front or back of the neck - or both. You may also experience stiffness to the point that it's difficult or impossible to move your neck.

Not being able to turn your head from side to side or up and down is a sign of whiplash. Neck pains may also result from neck misalignments caused by car accidents and can concur with whiplash.

Back and Shoulder Pain

You may feel extensive upper back pain, as it is the most common type of back pain resulting from whiplash. This part of your back is the most directly affected by rear-end car accidents. However, you may also feel discomfort in your lower back. Shoulder spasms and muscle tightness are also common.

Throat Problems

Some may experience throat problems, including difficulties chewing or swallowing If your esophagus and larynx are damaged, this can lead to your voice sounding hoarse when you try to speak.

Fatigue

Many people feel symptoms of fatigue after their whiplash injury. Your body is working hard to recover, so it's normal to feel more tired than usual.

Are you experiencing whiplash symptoms? Contact us at Excellence in Health for help.

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What Happens If You Leave Whiplash Untreated?

Whiplash symptoms may take a while to appear. However, it can be painful and lead to other symptoms when they do. If you experience pain in your head, neck, shoulders, or back within weeks of your car crash, you should seek medical attention.

As whiplash is a strain on your neck muscles, tendons, and ligaments, untreated whiplash can lead to several chronic problems.

Spine Misalignment

Spine misalignment can become an issue if a chiropractor doesn't treat whiplash. Having problems in your spine can cause pain from your head to your toes. Some may experience chronic headaches, back pain, neck pain, knee pain, hip pain, or numbness or tingling in the hands or feet.

Unpleasant Feelings

Some people experience burning, prickling, or tingling in the nerves throughout their bodies. This is prevalent in people who received spinal injuries that affected their spinal cord. The sensations can be caused by a pinched nerve, which can last for long periods.

Stiffness

An untreated whiplash injury can cause a loss of mobility through inflammation, swelling, and stiffness. You can find that it becomes difficult to move your neck, upper back, or head muscles since those sensitive areas will become hard to turn fully.

Vertigo

Vertigo is a condition where a person feels like they are falling or spinning in a still environment. This can cause you to get dizzy and feel faint in many cases. Vertigo and dizziness are reported in 25-50% of noted whiplash cases.

Migraines

Headaches and migraines are common symptoms of whiplash and can persist into long-term side effects if left untreated. They may persist for several months after a whiplash injury and require physical adjustments from a chiropractor to resolve the pain.

Degenerative Disc Disease

Degenerative disc disease is a condition that occurs when discs between the vertebrae of the spinal column deteriorate or break down, leading to pain, weakness, and numbness. Some severe whiplash cases may have torn fine muscles in the neck or upper back and contribute to the dislocation or herniation of the upper cervical spine.

Untreated whiplash can trigger symptoms of degenerative disc disease that previously went unnoticed. Discs between spinal vertebrae usually act as shock absorbers and help bend the back. Still, with degenerative disc disease, the discs are worn down and offer less protection from injury and movement.

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How Can a Chiropractor Help Treat Whiplash?

Chiropractors can help treat whiplash through a variety of treatments and whiplash management. At Excellence in Health Chiropractic & Rehabilitation Clinic, we not only offer spinal realignment, but we guide you in therapeutic exercises as well as physiotherapy modalities such as electrical stimulation, therapeutic ultrasound, and traction therapy. We also offer expert massage therapy that can help assist you through the painful symptoms of whiplash.

Whether you want to see a chiropractor for headaches or other symptoms related to whiplash, our friendly staff are here to provide you with effective treatments.

Excellence in Health is one of the most well-respected chiropractic practices in Anchorage. EIH was voted Best of Alaska for both 2019 and 2020. What's more, whiplash is a specialty for us. Our leaders, Dr. William Ross and Dr. Blue Ross, both have special certifications in Whiplash Treatment and Management.

If you're suffering from whiplash, we welcome you to visit us and receive the care that you deserve. We are happy to help you get to the source of your problem and provide treatments that fit your needs.

Do you think you might have whiplash? Find out by contacting us at Excellence in Health.