Have you recently been in a car accident where you were rear-ended and are now experiencing neck pain and stiffness? You may be suffering from whiplash, a common, painful condition of the neck that can result from these types of collisions. At Comprehensive Healthcare Group, our chiropractor in Oceanside will be able to properly diagnose and treat this condition, letting you get back to living your life, pain-free!
What You May Experience
In most cases, those who suffer from whiplash can expect the condition to dissipate after a few weeks of treatment with no further complications. During the initial phases of the injury, you can expect the following symptoms to arise:
- Neck pain and stiffness.
- Loss of range of motion in the neck.
- Tingling or numbness in the arms.
- Pain in the upper back, shoulders, or arms.
- Headaches, often starting at the base of the skull.
If you delay seeing our chiropractor in Oceanside, you may be putting yourself at a higher risk of developing future complications.
Causes and Complications
Whiplash is caused by a rapid and forceful back and forth movement of the neck, much like the crack of a whip. Rear-end collisions are the leading cause of whiplash, however, any activity that leads to the back and forth motion of the neck can result in this injury. Contact sports are another common cause of whiplash. For most people, symptoms of whiplash will disappear after a few weeks. However, one of the potential complications of whiplash is the development of chronic pain. This condition may lead to prolonged feelings of severe neck pain, pain that spreads to your arms, and headaches. To mitigate the chances of chronic pain, be sure to seek treatment with our chiropractor in Oceanside right away.
How Our Chiropractor in Oceanside Can Help
A chiropractor’s main goal is to fine-tune the body’s proper musculoskeletal alignment for optimal treatment. To account for the misalignment brought about by whiplash, our chiropractor in Oceanside can provide a variety of services to alleviate your symptoms, including:
- Spinal Manipulation: a controlled, sudden force will be applied to the desired area to promote realignment. An audible pop will usually be heard during this treatment. Spinal manipulation helps regain mobility of the neck and reduce your pain.
- Muscle Stimulation: At Comprehensive Healthcare Group, our chiropractor may also use electronic muscle stimulation as a means for treatment. Electrodes are placed on the skin which delivers small electrical pulses to the muscles of the neck. he stimulation of these muscles can reduce stiffness and pain in a safe and noninvasive manner.
- Exercise Therapy: Your treatment of whiplash does not have to stop at the end of your chiropractic appointment. Our chiropractor can teach you different types of exercises that can be performed in the comfort of your own home! These exercises will train the nervous system to better control and coordinate movement and increase the stability of the neck.
At Comprehensive Healthcare Group, we work tirelessly to relieve our patients of their symptoms and increase their quality of life. Whiplash can happen to anyone, and it can be the cause of many unfortunate symptoms. If not taken care of properly, it can also lead to the development of chronic pain. To receive treatment and avoid any further complications, request an appointment with our Chiropractor in Oceanside today!
