Whiplash is one of the most common soft tissue injuries that occur in a motor vehicle accident. However, this injury can be sustained any time a person experiences a rapid forward and backward motion of the neck as in a car accident. It can result in acute neck pain and restricted neck range of motion. Chiropractic care can help treat the symptoms of whiplash and provide a variety of non-surgical options that will allow you to obtain relief from your pain and discomfort.
Treating Whiplash Through Chiropractic Care
When you visit a chiropractor, your spine will be evaluated as a whole, even if you are only experiencing neck pain. Why is the entire spine examined? Despite the fact that you might only be experiencing pain in your neck, other regions of the spine might also be affected without your knowledge. Your chiropractor will examine and identify any areas of restricted joint motion, intervertebral disc injury, muscle spasms, and ligamentous injuries. Through touch, your chiropractor will feel for tenderness, tightness, and how well your spinal joints move.
Additionally, he or she will check how well you are able to walk and make note of your posture and spinal alignment. This will help your chiropractor understand the biomechanics of your body and how your spine works. It is possible that X-rays and an MRI of your spine will be ordered to look for any degenerative changes that might have existed prior to your injury.
Different Types of Whiplash Treatments
The treatment plan your chiropractor recommends to you will depend on the severity of your injury. Generally, the most common technique used is called spinal manipulation. There are many different spinal manipulation techniques that are used to treat whiplash:
- Flexion-distraction: This is a hands-on method that involves gentle spinal manipulation to treat herniated discs with or without arm pain. Your chiropractor will use a slow pumping action on your disc rather than applying direct force to your spine.
- Instrument-assisted manipulation: This type of technique uses a specialized handheld instrument, which your chiropractor will apply without thrusting force to the spine. It is often used for elderly patients who have degenerative joint conditions.
- Specific spinal manipulation: Your chiropractor will identify spinal joints that are restricted or exhibit abnormal motion and use a gentle thrusting motion to stretch the soft tissue and stimulate the nervous system in order to restore normal motion to the spine.
Your chiropractor might also use manual therapy to treat injured soft tissues, such as ligaments and muscles. Different types of manual therapy include instrument-assisted soft tissue therapy, manual joint stretching and resistance techniques, therapeutic massage, and trigger joint therapy.
Chiropractic Care in Essex County for Whiplash Injuries
If you recently suffered a whiplash injury as a result of a motor vehicle accident, the team at Options Rehab in Essex County is here to help. We will work with you to highlight the current injury causing pain and help prevent further injury moving forward. Whether you suffered a whiplash injury, are experiencing soft tissue pain, or neck and back issues, we can provide effective treatment to address your pain and discomfort.
Get started on your road to recovery and contact us today at (973) 241-8518 to learn more about your treatment options.
