Accident and Injury Chiropractic Services in Lexington, Kentucky for Whiplash
Dr. James Garrett
We Help Whiplash
Whiplash is a term that describes an injury to the neck that occurs after a motor vehicle or car accident. The most common type of car accident is the rear impact, and most typically the occupant in a vehicle which gets “rear-ended” is at the greatest risk of injury, including the injury termed whiplash.
Until recently, the cause of the pain resulting from a whiplash injury was poorly understood. Also, as a result of legal and insurance issues, people who complained of neck pain and symptoms after an accident were often viewed as suspect. Recent research has helped to clarify why people involved in a rear end collision experience a greater incidence of injury than those in other types of accidents. This new information is important for the doctor treating whiplash pain, since it impacts upon how to best serve the person who is suffering from these injuries.
Whiplash injuries are often very complex, and can include a variety of related problems including:
Joint Dysfunction:
One or more joints of the spine may loose its proper resiliency and shock absorption resulting in a restricted range of movement and pain.
Disc Herniation:
A whiplash accident may injure the discs between the bones of the spine leading to small tears. These small tears allow the jelly-like center or nucleus to bulge out causing pressure on delicate, sensitive spinal nerves. These injuries can create pain which radiates from the neck into the arm, and can also cause numbness, tingling and even grip strength and arm weakness.
It is important to seek care from a chiropractor, like us who has the training to successfully manage whiplash injury, along with the expertise to explain the causes of these injuries.
Whiplash FAQs
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What type of injury is whiplash? Whiplash is better described as a collection of injuries. It's a problem that occurs when the neck is suddenly and violently forced beyond its normal range of motion (hyperextension and hyperflexion), usually by the weight of the head when the head is flung around in an impact.
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What are the conditions that create a case of whiplash? Whiplash can occur as a sports injury or workplace injury, but it's especially associated with car accident impacts. Even if you're strapped into your seat, the forces involved may send your head flying backward and forward.
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What can whiplash do to the body? When the neck is forced beyond its capacity, it may experience several kinds of damage at the same time. Your cervical spine may be forced out of alignment, dislocating the joints and interfering with the normal curve of the neck. Herniated discs that pinch nearby nerve roots are also common.
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How fast do I need to be going to suffer whiplash in an auto accident? Don't assume that you "can’t have whiplash" just because your car was moving slowly at the time of the injury. Coming to a sudden stop from speeds of just a few miles per hour can transfer enough force to the body to cause whiplash.
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What are the telltale symptoms of whiplash? The most obvious whiplash symptom may be neck pain and stiffness so severe that you cannot turn your head. Shoulder pain, TMJ symptoms and headaches are other painful whiplash symptoms. Neurological symptoms may include sleeplessness, cognitive disorders, tinnitus, vision problems, dizziness and depression. You may even experience pain, numbness and other symptoms in the arms or hands.
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How can chiropractic care in Lexington help? Chiropractic care in Lexington can undo the changes forced on the cervical spine by whiplash. Our chiropractor can adjust the vertebrae to bring them back into their normal position, allowing the joints in your neck to move freely again. These corrections can also take the pinch off of pinched nerve tissue, bringing an end to your neurological problems.
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What other therapies will your chiropractor in Lexington prescribe? Chiropractic care in Lexington may be only one aspect of a personalized holistic healing plan. Our chiropractor in Lexington may also prescribe massage therapy to relieve muscle pain and speed healing.You may also benefit from physical therapy exercises aimed at helping you rebuild weakened or damaged tissues and regain your neck mobility.