Bottom Line:
Your spine is a long chain of bones, discs, muscles, and ligaments that extend from your skull down to your tailbone. The cervical spine (your neck) is designed to support your head and protect the nerves that go out to your shoulders, and arms.

Postural changes, arthritis, and sudden injuries are a few of the primary causes of neck pain. Most of the time, the pain can be traced to a problem with either the muscles, bones, discs, or nerves in your neck. This is important to remember when considering how to recover from whiplash.

Which is probably a big part of what has you considering chiropractic care for whiplash in Lavaca County.

Whiplash injuries can occur during a sports accident or during a slip and fall. Most of us already know, whiplash injuries are commonly sustained during auto accidents.

These injuries can cause damage to the delicate structures in your neck and lead to symptoms such as headaches, neck pain and stiffness, shoulder pain, and numbness and tingling or pain in your arms and hands.

Pain is your body’s way of saying “pay attention inside now!”

Let’s take a closer look at what happens when a whiplash injury is sustained, and, perhaps more importantly, how to recover from whiplash.

Why it Matters:
Over 1.5 million whiplash injuries occur each year, many from low impact collisions.

Research does in fact show that low-speed crashes can create the force necessary to cause pain and injury. Because these injuries can be sustained in collisions other than car accidents and can occur at low speeds, many people often ignore them and have never learned how to recover from whiplash.

The truth is that even minor damage to the ligaments of your neck can take up to 12 weeks to heal. In some cases, the partial tearing of the muscles, tendons, or ligaments around your spine can take several months to heal. Depending on the severity of the ligament tearing, these injuries may also be classified as permanent.

Whiplash can also cause damage to your facet joints and spinal discs by stretching them beyond their normal range of motion. Almost every vertebra in your neck has a pair of sliding joints near the back called facet joints.

If an adhesion forms or the joint is stuck due to an injury, your body will try to compensate. A stiff neck after an accident is a good clue that a whiplash injury may have occurred. Keep an eye out for swelling and bruising, which can take up to 24 hours to develop.

Many people may know what symptoms to watch for, but most people don’t really know how to recover from whiplash. It’s essential to control any inflammation early in your treatment and improve your range of motion.

In other words, it’s key to use movement as medicine.

While it may seem strange that movement can be a good thing even if it causes discomfort, we know that controlled movement can limit the amount of scar tissue that forms and may even speed up the healing process.

Still wondering exactly how to recover from whiplash injuries? Let’s recap the key principles we just discussed.

• Obtaining an accurate diagnosis with a complete examination is the first step towards determining the best plan of care to heal from your injuries.
• Inflammation is often the primary factor that causes pain and restricted movement after any injury, especially whiplash injury.
• Controlling inflammation naturally and reestablishing your range of motion can help reduce your pain and improve the results of your care.

Next Steps:
With the right healthcare team, most people can get back to their full life and activities without the need for drugs or surgery.

Chiropractors focus on the structure and function of your spine. When your spine is functioning optimally, your body is able to heal itself, no medications needed. When looking at how to recover from whiplash, a chiropractor’s care is key. We take a holistic approach to help you recover from whiplash by examining and treating the injured muscles, ligaments, discs, and more.

Depending on the type of accident, we may choose to take x-rays or an MRI of your neck to better evaluate your injuries.

Chiropractors are considered essential after an accident because of our focus on improving your movement, biomechanics, and functional ability while reducing your pain.

Schedule an appointment to receive chiropractic care for whiplash in Lavaca County today if you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident. We’re here to help guide your recovery process every step of the way.

Science Source:
(1) The Treatment of Neck Pain and Whiplash-Associated Disorders. JMPT. 2016.