The majority of car accidents are rear-end collisions, with whiplash being a common result. Whiplash can also occur from other kinds of trauma, accidents, and falls.The name whiplash, says it all. This injury occurs when the head and neck are whipped from back to front, or broad sided from left to right or visa versa.

Many people in South San Francisco or San Bruno, who have been involved in an accident don't even realize they have received a whiplash injury until weeks or months later when the problem becomes persistent and leads to other issues

What is a Whiplash?

When the neck is whipped from back to front during a car accident, while playing contact sports such as football, or occasionally from an assault or other physical trauma, a number of things can happen to the spine and surrounding soft tissue. Whiplash describes the initial impact, but the results can include:

• Disc bulges and herniation
• Subluxations (misalignment of the vertebrae in the spine),
• Injured bones in the spine,
• Irritated and damaged nerves
• Pulled ligaments and muscles in the Neck & Back

What are the Symptoms of Whiplash?

Whiplash injuries can range from mild to very severe. Injuries tend to be more significant when your headrest is positioned too low. If the impact was quite severe or the headrest was low there is the possibility that bones are broken or tissue is damaged and it is highly recommended that you see a chiropractor and receive a thorough examination and x-rays. Even if the impact seemed mild, you may have whiplash if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Neck pain
• Shoulder, upper back and arm pain
• Headaches
• Blurred vision
• Pain when turning the head
• Inability to move or turn the head fully
• Dizziness
• Tiredness
• Numbness or tingling in the arms, hands and fingers
• Ringing in the ears
• Difficulty sleeping
• Depression

As you can see there are a wide range of symptoms, and not all of them may be immediately traceable to whiplash. Even if you have been cleared by a doctor, your pain could still be related to whiplash and you may need treatment to correct the problem. If you have recently been injured it's important to get your spine checked as soon as possible. The sooner that you start treating the issue the less chance you have of it developing into a long term problem.

Chiropractic Care for Whiplash

Because the majority of whiplash incidents impact the spine and the surrounding nerves and tissues, chiropractic care is an excellent avenue for treatment. Chiropractic doctors are skilled in assessing the source of the pain associated with a whiplash injury and determining a plan for effective treatment. Chiropractic treatments are gentle and non-invasive. Through small adjustments, people find great relief from the pain associated with whiplash, and are set on a road to full recovery. Even if your're not experiencing pain, it's important to get checked out after a car accident. Dr Phillip Dietrich at Total Health Clinic can evaluate you and come up with a treatment plan for your situation.
Call our office at (650) 291-0709 to discover how chiropractic care can help you recover from whiplash.