Chiropractic and Whiplash

In the late 1800’s there were only two automobiles in the state of Indiana. Wouldn’t you know they would hit each other? That was perhaps the first auto accident in America. Since then there have been literally millions of injury auto accidents.

However, today cars can go 10 times faster than they did 125 years ago and there are millions more cars to run into. Enter the whiplash injury. When one car hits another the force of the impact accelerates not only the car it hits, but the car’s occupants as well. What can happen next is aptly described as a whiplash injury.

During this type of accident, the head (attached to the shoulders by the neck) stays motionless “in space” for just as long as it takes the neck to stretch to maximum extension. Then a violent forward whipping of the head, neck and upper back take place. Seen in slow motion, the injury may remind you of the cartoon character Road Runner. In his speedy departures his body leaves first, then his head is pulled after him by his neck. Road Runner’s neck stretches like a rubber band. However, when hit even at low speeds, we humans may suffer serious head, neck and upper back injury.

What actually happens is muscles, ligaments, discs and nerves, even the bones, can be torn in a whiplash injury. An examination may reveal muscles in spasm; inflamed and sprained joints and occasionally x-rays will show fractures from ligaments tearing parts of bone away.

However, the worst aspect of these injuries can be the long-term irritation and damage done to the delicate nerves at the base of the skull, the neck and upper back. Weakened and misaligned joints and scar tissue put pressure on nerves, cause pain and impair nerve function for a lifetime.

This can cause serious chronic headache and neck pain, plus radiating pain, numbness and or tingling into the shoulders, arms, hands and upper back. Untreated, the misaligned bones wear badly and degenerate.

What should you do if you think you have had a whiplash injury? The best approach is to see your chiropractor. He will take a health and accident history, do a physical examination of your neck and test for muscle and joint damage. When needed, x-rays will be taken to determine the extent of the injuries.

Of all the treatment options available, chiropractic care is both effective and safe. Gentle realignment of the spine, physical therapy and corrective exercises can affect a full symptomatic and structural recovery. But don’t delay treatment. Too many accident victims wait and suffer too long because some well meaning, but misinformed doctor has told them that the symptoms will go away by themselves.

In the mean time, adjust your headrest to the middle of your head, buckle your seatbelt and drive carefully. Dr. Noel Lloyd, Sound Chiropractic Center of Northgate, Seattle, WA