Whiplash and accidents
Neck pain and whiplash go hand in hand. Most people believe that whiplash is only associated with motor vehicle accidents. They also believe that whiplash only occurs when the vehicle has been hit from the rear. Whiplash victims receive their injuries when cars collide in any direction. Another little-known fact is that whiplash injury can happen at low speeds; as slow as 5 MPH. Whiplash is experienced through many types of accidents including slips, falls, or collision from contact sports. There are cases where individuals suffered from whiplash during recreational pursuits such as bungee jumping, snowboarding, water skiing, and horseback riding. Any activity in which an impact or blow causes your head to jerk forward or backward causing neck strain. The unexpected or sudden force stretches and tears the muscles and tendons in your neck.
Diagnosing whiplash
Whiplash is a collective term for significant injury to the soft tissues of the neck. Chiropractic doctors make their diagnosis after observing a collection of symptoms that are evident following trauma to the neck. This includes pain related to injury of the discs, nerves, and joints in the spine. The extent and type of injury is dependent upon the speed or force of the event that caused the injury.
Most commonly, the accident can cause muscles and tendons to stretch beyond their normal range, this is a neck strain. Another type of injury, disc herniation, occurs when the soft discs that cushion the vertebrae are torn or distorted. Discs can bulge or compress against the nerve roots between the bones in the neck. When the nerves are stretched or pinched, this causes inflammation, which leads to chronic pain and/or arthritis.
When whiplash goes untreated
Even the mildest neck injury can progress to intolerable levels of pain and discomfort. Many people who cannot perform daily activities because of stiffness or severe pain, started out with minor discomfort that was ignored or went untreated. Sometimes, accident victims do not immediately feel pain; thus, they think that that they have not suffered an injury. Regardless of the intensity or speed involved in an accident, it is always best to seek an evaluation by a chiropractor after an accident. Otherwise, you might go untreated for weeks before the damage is marked by pain.
Care you can count on for neck pain in Charlotte
If you are suffering from shoulder or neck pain and you are looking for the natural, non-invasive treatment that chiropractic clinics offer, consider one of the top chiropractic clinics in the Charlotte area. In addition to gentle adjustments, you can expect supplemental therapies such as the application of heat or cold, electrical stimulation, diet counseling, or rehabilitative exercise. Every solution is pain free! ChiroCarolina®, one of Charlotte’s top chiropractic centers, is known all over the South east for providing conservative and effective chiropractic care for the uptown, NoDa, and University area- located conveniently off North Tryon Street.
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