Health care professionals get asked the most bizarre questions:
Why aren’t peanuts a nut?
How do I know if I’ve been brainwashed?
What’s it called when a baby eats its twin in the womb?
Kids say the darndest things, except usually these questions are coming from adults which is quite concerning.
As a chiropractor, I get asked a lot of whiplash questions, though I’m proud that, for the most part, my patients have their heads fully screwed onto their bodies. We believe that educating our patients empowers them to prioritize their health even when they’re not in the office. We want them to have all the information and tools to make the most informed health care decisions and to create habits that lead to a vibrant lifestyle.
Today I’m answering our listeners’ questions about one of the most scintillating topics in the pickup/drop-off lane at the local high school: whiplash. Whether it’s on the dance floor at prom, out on the football field, or in that same pickup/drop-off lane, whiplash will sneak up and rattle us when we least expect it. Hopefully, these burning questions about whiplash will save a life or two. Even one is good enough for me.
What causes whiplash?
People often associate whiplash with a car accident, and rightly so, but whiplash can also happen:
- At a rodeo
- At a bullfight
- While diving
- At an amusement park
- While skiing
- Playing contact sports
- At a nightclub
- After a fall or being pushed
Basically in any circumstance where the neck experiences a forceful and intense flexion and extension of the neck – back and forth or side to side. The force required to do damage doesn’t even have to be that intense – a car traveling at just 8mph can cause the body to experience a 7 G-force in a rear impact collision.
During this rapid forward and backward motion the structures of the neck – discs, ligaments, nerves, and muscles – are damaged and sometimes blood vessels can tear causing swelling and pain.
What are the symptoms of a whiplash injury?
Whiplash symptoms might occur immediately after the injury, but more often than not the shock and adrenaline rush may mask them for a few days. Slowly the symptoms will sneak in and try to claim squatter’s rights. It’s our turn to be the sweaty, Bluetooth-donned landlord and kick whiplash to the curb.
Symptoms of whiplash include:
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Nausea
- Limited range of motion in the neck
- Headaches
- Lower back pain
- Tingling and numbness in the arms, hands, and legs
- Sleep problems
- Dizziness
- Vertigo
- Blurred vision
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory problems
- Depression and anxiety
- Muscle spasms
- Fatigue
How do I know if I have whiplash?
See above.
A chiropractor can give a definitive answer as to the damage of the neck structures. We’ll conduct a physical exam and most likely use digital imaging to get the best picture of what’s going on.
But if after a day trip to Six Flags the next morning is plagued by neck pain, headache, and difficulty remembering if all the kids made it back from the park, all signs point to:
Are some people more likely to get whiplash?
Yes.
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- People in car accidents
- Those that play contact sports
- Being a woman
- Being younger
- Those with a history of neck pain
- Having a job with monotonous work
Those corporate warriors out there who spend their days hunched over a computer are slowly degrading their posture and putting themselves at risk for a number of issues. The same goes for young people who can’t peel their eyes away from scrolling and swiping to look both ways before they cross the street. Some kids don’t even know what their friends look like in real life, they only know what they look like through Snapchat and Instagram filters. Obviously, fact-check me on that, but it sounds true.
Poor posture weakens the muscles all along the spine and upper torso, especially in the neck, and makes them more susceptible to injury.
How long does whiplash take to heal?
The body is an incredible self-healing machine. When we give it adequate sleep, nutrition, hydration, and mental clarity, it has the power to overcome many obstacles in record time.
👆Our body at optimal healing power
The majority of neck pain from a whiplash injury will dissipate within a few days and even more with a few months. Studies show, however, that after 20 years, 50% of patients were still dealing with whiplash symptoms, raising the risk for long-term spinal cord injuries and nerve dysfunction.
Obviously, or maybe not obviously that’s why the question was posed, the more severe the pain after the injury the more likely it is to develop into a chronic problem. Especially if the body has not been set up for success. Obesity, smoking, dehydration, lack of sleep, neglected spinal health, and anxiety, let me repeat that, AND ANXIETY, will stunt the body’s ability to heal in a timely fashion.
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👆she’s probably perpetually ill
What is the best treatment for whiplash?
There is a smorgasbord of whiplash treatments, most of which don’t involve shoveling painkillers into our mouths. Natural healing techniques, stress management, gentle stretches, and target exercises are great ways to relieve whiplash pain naturally and regain a painless range of motion. Though pain is just a symptom.
Chiropractic care for whiplash pain relief is the best non-surgical, non-invasive, all-natural treatment to get at the underlying neck injury. Without addressing the root cause, the pain will rear its ugly little head time and time again.
We can correct any spinal abnormalities to relieve pressure on the spinal cord and increase blood flow to boost the body’s natural healing ability. Supplemented with massage therapy, custom exercise plans, cervical spinal decompression, and deep tissue laser, we have a variety of modalities to help manage pain and restore function.
Having a healthy spine with the proper structure actually helps prevent injury and illness in the first place. That’s why chiropractic care is critical to preventative health care. Call our office or schedule a time to meet with one of our amazing doctors and dance the night away or ride that roller coaster or steer wrestle that bronco with confidence. Be sensible about the last one though for goodness sake.
