Did you ever hear someone say, “Wow, you’re going to give me whiplash” when someone pushes the gas pedal too hard? While this is a bit of an exaggeration, it’s not far from reality. A majority of whiplash cases are from car accidents. However, they’re typically from rear-end collisions. There’s much more to know about whiplash, though, as noted by a chiropractor for Integrated Health & Injury, serving Decatur and Atlanta, GA, and the surrounding regions.
General Information About Whiplash
Whiplash is an injury that arises when your neck is propelled forward and backward rapidly. With this injury, the soft tissue and nerves in your neck receive a force that strains them. If the impact is great enough, it could damage them severely.
Commonly, this condition stems from a rear-end car collision. However, our chiropractor has seen patients who sustained whiplash from a sports-related injury or physical assault as well.
Symptoms of Whiplash
You may develop symptoms of whiplash within hours or days of the injury. Symptoms could range from neck pain and stiffness to headaches. Some people lose some of the range of motion in their necks. For some people, the pain extends to the shoulders. Nerve-related symptoms like tingling and numbness may extend down your arms. Fatigue and dizziness are also possible.
Other symptoms may include any of the following:
- Tinnitus (ringing of the ears)
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Depression
- Memory problems
- Blurred vision
Diagnosing Whiplash
If you recently sustained an injury or were in a car accident, you should seek medical attention, even if you aren’t showing signs of whiplash. Fortunately, Integrated Health has two chiropractic walk ins that offer whiplash treatment.
When you visit the best chiropractor in Georgia to determine if you have whiplash, your practitioner will ask you questions about any symptoms you have. The chiropractor will want to know when the incident occurred and what happened during it.
Next, the practitioner will ask you to move your neck as far as you can without inflicting any pain on yourself. The chiropractor will also feel the soft tissue manually to identify any swelling or sore spots.
In some cases, the chiropractor will order imaging, such as an X-ray, computed tomography (CT) scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). While whiplash rarely shows up on any form of imaging, the chiropractor may evaluate you for other issues that worsen the whiplash to address them simultaneously.
Treating the Problem
When you visit one of our chiropractic walk ins for whiplash, you may receive a spinal adjustment. During the impact of your injury, the vertebrae in your neck could have shifted out of place slightly. The chiropractor can realign the bones and ease pressure on the nerves and soft tissue in your neck. The chiropractor considers your particular situation first to ensure this process isn’t painful and will have an impact on your healing.
Additionally, our practitioner may recommend therapeutic exercises. Using specific movements, you’ll work your neck safely and will slowly regain function and range of motion in the region. At Integrated Health, we offer full physical therapy programs.
Our chiropractor could recommend lifestyle changes and at-home remedies to prevent further injury and reduce your current suffering. For instance, our practitioner will recommend you avoid staring down at a laptop or phone, which could stress your neck. In addition, you’ll receive information about the recreational and work-related activities you need to avoid until you start to heal.
With the help of the best chiropractor in Georgia, you can recover from whiplash and have less pain in the process. All treatments are customized to each patient. And you receive advice on ways to optimize your healing at home.
Contact Integrated Health & Injury, serving Decatur and Atlanta, GA, and the neighboring communities, at:
Decatur – 404-288-9000
Atlanta – 404-691-4822
You may also use reach out to us via our contact form.