How Long Does Whiplash Last?

Jul 14, 2020

How Long Does Whiplash LastIf you’ve been injured in a car accident in North Atlanta, look no further than a Marietta chiropractor to treat your car accident injuries. One of the most common car accident injuries is whiplash, and a multi-specialty team of doctors is your best bet for optimal healing, such as orthopedic specialists, neurologists, physical therapists, and chiropractors all in one convenient location. Schedule an appointment with a Marietta chiropractor to assess your whiplash and other car accident injuries that are causing you pain and discomfort.

Symptoms of Whiplash

Whiplash is a type of neck strain where the tendons and muscles of your neck are stretched and even possibly tear from the stress of a car accident. The sudden and intense impact of the accident can cause the head to snap forward and backward, putting immense pressure on the neck and spine. The muscles in that area are overstretched out of their normal range of motion and this can cause serious pain. Common symptoms include pain, stiffness, and tightness in your neck, shoulders, and upper back.

It is not uncommon for symptoms of whiplash to be delayed because the adrenaline running through your body after an accident can mask pain and other symptoms. Therefore it is important to pay attention to any gradually increasing pain in the hours and even days after a car accident. Other common symptoms that develop may include headaches and swelling around the neck and shoulders. If any nerves are affected by the injury, you may also experience a tingling sensation that extends to your extremities.

Diagnosing Whiplash

A spine doctor will likely want to run a serious of advanced diagnostic imaging tests to get a better picture of the area with tools like an X-ray and MRI. The X-ray will give your doctors a picture of how the bones in the neck and spine were potentially injured. An MRI will provide the doctors with a 3D picture of not only the bones but also any damage to the soft tissues, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, and even nerves. Your doctor will likely also do a physical examination of the area.

Treating Whiplash

The types of treatment for whiplash will depend on the severity of the injury. A Marietta chiropractor can provide you with a noninvasive approach to treating the injured area by applying gentle pressure to the spine, neck, and musculature to help realign the spine and restore healthy connections and flow. Your chiropractor will is an experienced spine doctor who will use gentle approaches when realigning the spine to its natural position and alleviate pain symptoms. He or she may also recommend physical therapy and meeting with a neurologist if the nerves are affected. Your doctor will likely also prescribe remedies you can do at home in tandem with your medical treatment, such as icing the area, taking pain medication, and even wearing a neck brace.

Chiropractic Care and Whiplash

Chiropractic care is most commonly associated with back pain related to the spine and neck bones, though it is much more comprehensive and far-reaching than just the back and neck. A Marietta chiropractor not only corrects spinal misalignments to alleviate pain, but also assesses the entire musculoskeletal system through gentle manipulation to help increase range of motion and decrease dysfunction due to misalignments of the spine. When left untreated, spinal misalignments can lead to chronic back and neck pain, in addition to a slew of other issues. Chiropractors can help identify misalignments from daily wear and tear as well as from more significant injuries such as whiplash after a car accident, and they provide optimal care to help restore the area and alleviate pain. Particularly when you’re suffering from car accident pain, your back and neck are likely sore and tender, and Marietta chiropractors are exceptionally cautious and gentle when adjusting you. They will provide specific and precise adjustments to help your body heal properly, reduce pain, and restore range of motion in your neck, back, and all other joints.

Marietta is one of the largest cities in the metro Atlanta area and is home to AICA’s Marietta chiropractor at the AICA Orthopedics clinic. In addition to chiropractic care for whiplash and other back and neck injuries, AICA Orthopedics also offers quality comprehensive care from a multi-specialty team of doctors in one office with state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging tools on location. You can expect to receive an individualized treatment plan for your specific pain points, complete with care from a number of specialists, such as chiropractors, orthopedists, neurologists, physical therapists, and more. The entire medical team will work together to ensure you are experiencing less pain and are able to get back to your daily lifestyle as soon as possible after your whiplash. Contact AICA Orthopedics today to schedule an appointment with our Marietta chiropractors.

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