A simple fender-bender can be enough to cause injury to the soft tissues of the neck. It’s called whiplash, and it can result in anything from a few days of stiffness and pain to chronic shoulder and back pain. In severe cases of whiplash, injury can go as deep as the intervertebral joints, discs, ligaments, cervical muscles and nerve roots.
Whiplash is almost always treatable through non-surgical procedures and so it is a good candidate for chiropractic care. The pain and stiffness that results from trauma to the neck muscles is caused by a protective response from the nervous system, which locks up the spinal joints to prevent injury to the spinal cord. Chiropractic treatment can help unlock these joints, reduce swelling, and return mobility in the days and weeks following an accident. Some methods of treatment a chiropractor will use to treat whiplash include:
Specific spinal manipulation: This type of spinal manipulation is directed at the spinal joints that have been locked as a result of the protective action of the nervous system. The goal is to return some of the lost mobility through these joints.
Flexion-distraction technique: This is a gentle manipulation technique used in cases where whiplash has caused or aggravated a bulging or herniated disc.
Instrument-assisted manipulation: This is a non-thrusting technique performed with a hand-held tool that enables the chiropractor to exert force without thrusting into the spine. This is most effective in older people who may have degenerative joint syndrome.
The chiropractor may also use some therapies to reduce swelling in the early stages of whiplash treatment:
Interferential electrical stimulation: A low-frequency electrical current that stimulates muscles to reduce inflammation.
Ultrasound: Sends sound waves deep into the muscle tissue, which increases circulation to the injured area to reduce stiffness, spasms, and pain.
If you experience whiplash, make an appointment to see your chiropractor as soon as you can. The sooner you receive treatment, the sooner your chiropractor can help you return to your normal activities.
Added on 04/14/2010
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