Motor vehicle accidents happen suddenly and violently. The shock of being in a car wreck can feel so distressing that you don't immediately think about the possibility you have whiplash, also known as a cervical acceleration-deacceleration (CAD) injury. However, whiplash is quite common after car accidents. In fact, about 3 million people in the U.S. suffer from this condition every year. To complicate matters further, whiplash symptoms often don't show up for hours or even days after the incident.

So, how do you know if you have whiplash? The best way to find out is to talk to a car accident chiropractor in Anchorage. Of course, you need to know the signs of whiplash, or you won't know you need to see a personal injury chiropractor. This article will show you what to watch for if you suspect you have this condition.

Are whiplash symptoms causing you pain? Get the relief you need from Excellence in Health today.

---

What Is Whiplash?

Whiplash is an injury that happens when your head is jerked quickly and forcefully back and forward. This sudden movement causes your neck and spine to stretch unnaturally. What's more, this car accident injury can happen no matter what the speed of the impact was.

The result is a painful condition that may cause suffering for a significant amount of time. Whiplash can damage the joints, muscles, and ligaments of your neck and back. This jerking motion can even affect your entire spine, causing disc injuries and other severe spinal problems. It occurs most often in rear-end car crashes, but it can also happen during slips and falls, assault, sports activities, or other types of impacts.

---

What Does Whiplash Feel Like?

Right after the accident, you might not notice any effects at all. If your body begins to produce excess adrenaline, that natural chemical could mask any pain or headaches you would otherwise feel. However, within a few hours or even a few days, you will begin to feel soreness and stiffness.

You might have trouble turning your head or nodding it up and down right away. On the other hand, the muscle, neck, and back pain or headaches might show up later. In either case, pain may begin in many parts of your body. In fact, if you feel the symptoms of whiplash anytime within a few weeks of an accident, you should seek a diagnosis.

---

Whiplash Symptoms

The primary whiplash symptoms are pains in various parts of your body. You can assess your pain and determine if you need to go to a professional for help. However, once you make that decision, you need a personal injury chiropractor to make the final diagnosis.

Headaches: Headaches are common with whiplash injuries. Although your headache may be different, most whiplash headaches follow a typical pattern. You would likely feel the pain in the back part of your head. Notice if the pain is worst where your head meets your neck, which is common with whiplash. The pain may radiate so that you feel it on the top or front of your head, in your temples, or down your neck. These migraines may continue constantly, or they may come and go.

Neck Pain: One of the most telling signs of whiplash is neck pain after an auto accident. The pain may feel like a dull aching. It might affect the front or back of your neck or both. In addition, some people experience stiffness in their necks to the point that it is difficult or even impossible to turn their heads from side to side.

Back Pain and Shoulder Pain: The most common type of back pain with whiplash is upper back pain. After all, this is the part of the back most directly affected by this type of car accident injury. However, you might also feel pain and stiffness and have swelling in your lower back. You may feel it in your shoulders, too. The muscles may feel very tight, and you might even notice spasms in your upper back and neck. It usually hurts when you move as well.

---

Other Symptoms

Although pain may be the symptom that brings you to a chiropractor, there are also other symptoms that might come with whiplash. Watch for these signs in the days and weeks after a motor vehicle accident.

• Throat problems - If you have whiplash, you also may have damaged your esophagus and larynx. In that case, you might have trouble chewing or swallowing. You might also sound hoarse when you try to speak.
• Unusual sensations - You may feel burning, prickling, or tingling in the nerves throughout your body, but especially in those directly affected by the impact.
• Stiffness - Your neck may be so stiff you can't turn it. You might notice this stiffness in your back as well.
• Fatigue - You may feel excessively tired after the accident. If this is new, it could be a symptom of the whiplash.
• Cognitive effects - This condition can affect your mental abilities as well. You could have trouble concentrating or focusing. Your memory may not be as sharp as usual. In fact, you might easily feel confused.
• Dizziness - Dizziness is a troubling symptom of this condition. The reason is it could mean you have a concussion. If so, you need concussion treatment immediately.
• Emotional effects - Whiplash can affect your emotions and moods as well. You may feel irritable or suffer from new anxiety or depression.
• Sleep problems - Have you noticed that you have had trouble sleeping since a car accident? If so, it might be a sign you have whiplash.
• Tinnitus - Many people with this condition experience ringing in their ears.
• Vision problems - Some people have vision problems such as blurry vision after a motor vehicle accident. This can indicate you have whiplash and possibly a concussion.

---

What Happens If You Leave Whiplash Untreated?

Like nearly all untreated auto injuries, whiplash can cause long-term and serious problems. The pain can continue, get worse, and spread to other parts of your body, such as your arms. Your range of motion in various parts of your body becomes limited, and this may become permanent if you do not seek car accident rehabilitation treatment. The stiffness in your back could lead to vertebral alignment problems, and you may even develop degenerative disc disease.

Temporary dizziness could morph into long-term vertigo. Headaches and migraines may become chronic. Beyond that, if you do not seek help, you might find out later that you fractured your spine but didn't realize it because your other symptoms masked it. In addition, sleeping problems can affect your health in nearly every way and contribute to the development of several severe diseases.

---

Whiplash Treatment

At Excellence in Health Chiropractic & Rehabilitation Clinic, we perform a wide variety of treatments for whiplash management. We not only offer spinal alignment, but we guide you in therapeutic exercise and provide you with expert massage therapy and myofascial release therapy. If your condition warrants it, we can help you with traction therapy as well. Whether you want to see a chiropractor for headaches or other symptoms of 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 fact, 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. We welcome you to visit us if you think you might have whiplash or need help with any other health problems. We are happy to help you get to the source of your problem and ready to provide the treatments you need.

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