Whiplash is a very serious injury in the neck caused by an extremely forceful and rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck. Think of this like when Idiana Jones cracks his whip, the same exact motion is occurring in your neck with that same violent motion. This is commonly caused by getting rear-ended in a car accident, but it can also happen from a sports incident, physical abuse and other types of trauma like a significant fall. If you live near the Forest Hills area and looking for a chiropractor, then Jamaica Chiropractic and Physical Therapy , chiropractor near Forest Hills will be there to help you.
Symptoms of Whiplash
There are many symptoms of whiplash that you should pay attention to when or if you are in an accident. Some common symptoms of whiplash are:
- Neck pain/stiffness
- Shoulder pain
- Lower back pain
- Dizziness
- pain/numbness in your arm or hand
- blurred vision
- Memory problems
- irritability/sleeplessness
How is Whiplash Diagnosed?
Being in any kind of accident where your neck is put in a traumatic situation, you should go to the doctor immediately after because it could have long lasting effects on your health. They will ask you about your symptoms and how often they are occuring, and your doctor will also want to know how well you can perform everyday tasks. Your doctor will firstly give you a physical exam consisting of checking your range of motion in your neck/shoulders, degree of motion that may cause pain, tenderness in the neck and shoulders and they will also check your reflexes. They will then do imaging tests even though they are not apparent on imaging tests, your doctor will most likely order an x-ray, MRI, or a CT scan.
Treatment/Pain Management
Throughout the years treatment for whiplash has varied from patient to patient and seeing what works and what does not work. Previously, doctors recommended using a cervical collar to prevent the neck from any movement after a whiplash injury, but that has changed over the years. As time and medicine progressed they have discovered different ways to treat whiplash in a more helpful and long lasting way. They’ve found that stretching and moving your neck soon after the whiplash injury occurs is the best way to help recover from the accident. Some treatment includes:
- Ice or heat applied to the area for the first 24 hours after the incident
- Over the counter medication like anti-inflammatory drugs
- Prescription medication provided by your doctor
- Physical therapy
- Support devices like a soft neck brace
- Injections such as steroids or lidocaine out directly where the injury happened
- Chiropractic therapy/massages/or acupuncture
Chiropractor Near Forest Hills
Taking care of your body after a significant injury is very important and pivotal to your recovery, so finding the right doctors and physicians to take care of you is a number one priority. Jamaica Chiropractic and Physical Therapy , chiropractor near Forest Hills will help you through your hardest times while recovering with their services including chiropractic, physical therapy, no-fault accidents, workers’ comp, pain management, and orthopedics.