Whiplash Treatments
Whiplash is an injury to the neck that occurs when the head is suddenly jerked forward and then backward, usually during a car accident. This rapid movement can strain the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the neck, leading to a variety of symptoms. If you’ve been in a car crash, we urge you to reach out to Dr. Cynthia Airhart at Crossroads Chiropractic Clinic in Victoria, Texas, for treatments that enable your body’s natural healing.
Common Symptoms of Whiplash
The symptoms of whiplash can vary in severity and may not appear immediately after the injury. However, the damage has been done, and symptoms may appear eventually. Some things to look out for include:
- Neck Pain and Stiffness: Pain in the neck is the most common symptom, often accompanied by stiffness as the soft tissues and joints become inflamed.
- Headaches: Many people experience tension headaches or migraines as a result of neck strain.
- Referred Pain: Whiplash can cause discomfort in the shoulders and upper back, as muscles leading to these areas also connect to the neck.
- Numbness or Tingling: Some patients may experience numbness or tingling in the shoulders or arms if the nerve roots in the neck are damaged.
- Dizziness or Fatigue: This can happen in advanced cases.
Chiropractic Treatment for Whiplash
At Crossroads Chiropractic Clinic, we offer a variety of non-medicative, non-surgical treatments to alleviate the symptoms of whiplash and enable the body’s natural healing mechanisms.
Chiropractic adjustments are a chiropractor’s core treatment for most neuromusculoskeletal problems, including whiplash injuries. Here’s what you can expect:
- Restoration of Alignment: Dr. Airhart carefully applies controlled force to misaligned spinal joints in the neck. This helps restore proper alignment, preventing any joint or other tissue from bearing too much pressure.
- Pain Relief: Many patients experience fast relief from neck pain and stiffness following adjustments, allowing for easier movement.
- Improved Nerve Function: Proper alignment of the cervical spine takes pressure off the nerves, so they won’t refer pain into the head, shoulders, or arms.
Dry needling is a specialty at our Victoria, Texas, office that involves inserting thin needles into trigger points in the muscles. The benefits of dry needling for whiplash include:
- Targeted Muscle Relief: This technique helps release tight muscles, allowing them to move with less pain.
- Improved Blood Flow: Dry needling prompts increased circulation to the affected areas, reducing inflammation and delivering more healing nutrients.
Therapeutic Massage
Therapeutic massage is a treatment for soft tissues that can be applied to the neck, shoulders, and upper back. The benefits of massage therapy for whiplash include:
- Muscle Relaxation: Massage helps stretch tight muscles in the neck and surrounding muscles, relieving tension comfortably.
- Improved Circulation: Massage pushes out exhausted blood, allowing nutrient-rich fresh blood to flow in.
- Pain Management: Regular massage therapy can help regulate the stress response and improve overall neck function.
Recover from Whiplash through Non-Invasive Means
At Crossroads Chiropractic Clinic, Dr. Cynthia Airhart and our dedicated team want you to feel confident that your whiplash symptoms are gone for good. To schedule a consultation in our Victoria, Texas, office, call (361) 579-9325 or request an appointment through our website.