What You Need to Know About Whiplash!

We all know someone who has had whiplash, and we know how much pain it causes.  Here are the basics that everyone should know about this serious injury.

Whiplash is caused when your neck moves forward beyond its safe range of motion.  It can happen in automobile collision as slow as fifteen mile per hour, and can take hours, days, or even weeks for symptoms to appear.

The main symptoms of whiplash are neck and upper back pain, which restrict the motion of the neck.  Other symptoms may include headaches, dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, and shoulder pain.

We usually think of whiplash as an automobile injury, but it also happens in sports, such as football and snowboarding, and during roller coaster rides and other physically jarring activities.  It can also occur more readily in the elderly and those suffering from arthritis.

More than one million suffer the effects of whiplash every year.  Between one third and two thirds of those affected will have chronic symptoms which can last for years.

Chiropractic care can be an effective treatment and help alleviate the pain of a whiplash injury.  Chiropractors are trained to diagnose many types of neck injuries and are well experienced in treating those same injuries.

Your chiropractor will diagnose your spine as a whole, from your neck to your lower back , to determine if other areas were affected when the injury occurred.  He will likely have x-rays taken to further evaluate your spine, and may call for an MRI.

Treatment for whiplash may include spinal manipulation and cold laser therapy, both of which can be found on the Outer Banks.

If you are suffering from whiplash, call Dr. Craig McGiffin at his Outer Banks chiropractic clinic and make an appointment today.