Sacramento Chiropractor Treats Whiplash

We treat a lot of patients who are in car accidents. One of the most common injuries that people suffer from after an auto accident in Sacramento CA is whiplash. When a chiropractor books an appointment to see a patient after a car accident, it is often to treat the pain that results from a whiplash injury.

Our friend Aubrey (on video), was able to have the issues caused by her whiplash injuries resolved. We take your health seriously and are excited to walk with you on this journey to get you as healthy as ever. Thank you for trusting us Aubrey.

At Barham Chiropractic, we make the recovery from car accidents, as pain-free and easy as possible. Find out how our Sacramento chiropractic office can help.

How does whiplash occur?

Whiplash is the more common term for an injury called cervical acceleration-deceleration.

Whiplash occurs when there is damage to the muscles, ligaments, and even vertebrae of the neck as a result of rapid hyperextension and hyperflexion of the neck.

When someone experiences this sudden impact, which forces the neck backward and then forward, the ligaments and tendons that hold the neck vertebrae in the correct position are injured. This causes the vertebrae to change their position, which irritates the nearby nerve roots. Unfortunately, this can impair the function of the body parts that are managed by these nerves.

Whiplash is very common and is often associated with car accidents, but it can be caused by various activities like contact sports, amusement park rides, or erratic dancing like head-banging or break dancing. There are also many different causes that can make a person predisposed to experience a whiplash injury, such as vertebral subluxations, arthritis, and previous whiplash injuries. The symptoms of a whiplash injury vary greatly depending on the severity.

Some common symptoms include:

• A loss or drop in being able to move neck

• Neck stiffness and discomfort

• Pain in arms/hands

• Pain in arms/hands

• Dizziness and/or vertigo

• Fatigue

• Blurred or altered vision

• Numbness/pins and needles in arms and hands

What can happens if whiplash goes untreated?

Unfortunately, it is common for people to dismiss whiplash as a minor injury or something that will go away on its own, which is definitely not always the case. If you don’t get proper medical care for whiplash, you are risking developing serious complications later in life. Whiplash is a soft tissue injury, not a bone fracture, which means that it will most likely not show up clearly on X-rays, MRI scans, or even CT scans. It is not uncommon for insurance companies to not allow a claim for whiplash injuries since they are not considered real injuries or aren’t viewed to be as serious as the injured person is claiming.

Patients who have whiplash injuries treated immediately after an accident experience considerably fewer long-term effects compared to those who don’t get treatment or lag on getting treatment.

Common long-term effects of untreated whiplash include:

• Permanent damage to the vertebrae and nervous system

• Accelerated collapse of the cervical spine

• Chronic, lasting pain

• Loss of function

The team at Barham Chiropractic is able to give you a proper diagnosis and can provide individualized treatment, which is necessary to maintain long-term health.

Contrary to these dismissive (and wrong) claims, moderate to severe whiplash can produce painful and noticeable symptoms that make normal motion virtually impossible. Many patients need pain medication, foam collars, or some form of physical therapy. The adrenaline rush we experience during an emergency situation conceals pain, which means most accident victims are not feeling pain right after an accident occurs.

But once several hours or days have passed, the victim may begin to notice symptoms like:

• Neck pain: radiates through the back and upper shoulders; pain usually accompanied by stiffness, swelling, and a reduced range of motion; may also experience headaches or pain at the base of the skull

• Tinnitus: patient hears nonexistent noises, usually sounds like ringing in the ears, but can also be heard as hissing, static, or humming noises.

• Vertigo: a condition that causes a person to feel like they are falling or spinning while they are in a still environment; also causes dizziness or faintness.

It is always a good idea to see a doctor within 3 days of a car accident, even if you don’t think your injuries are serious enough to see a doctor. Delaying medical care can give the insurance company an excuse to deny any sort of coverage. More importantly, taking action early can allow doctors to diagnose problems sooner and reduce the likelihood of long-term dysfunction.

How Does Our Sacramento Chiropractic Office Treat Whiplash?

Chiropractors at Barham Chiropractic practice several different techniques and protocols to relieve the pain of whiplash and help with healing. The techniques generally fall under two categories:

• Chiropractic Adjustment: The chiropractor performs spinal manipulation to gently move the joints into alignment, which helps align the body and encourages healing.

• Muscle Stimulation and Relaxation: This involves stretching the muscles that are affected, relieving tension and helping them to relax. Finger pressure techniques are also commonly combined with stretching to help relieve pain.

Each whiplash case is different than the rest.

Every Patient we see is different than every other patient.

As Chiropractors, we are trusted to evaluate our patients to determine what the best treatment will be for that particular case.

How long does it take a chiropractor to correct whiplash?

Throughout your treatment plan, your chiropractor in Sacramento CA will reassess your pain levels and range of motion several times. By understanding what your needs are, Barham chiropractic can adjust care when necessary. Our average patient starts to experience significant recovery from whiplash in the first month. Unfortunately, complete recovery can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months, depending on the severity of your injury.

If you are experiencing symptoms related to whiplash, or you have been in a car accident, we STRONGLY recommend visiting us. Unfortunately, these injuries can get worse over time and worse, Delaying medical care can give the insurance company an excuse to deny any sort of coverage.

We have helped countless patients with our personalized corrective care treatment plans and we would love you help you too.

This site is for informational and educational purposes only. The information contained herein does not constitute the rendering of insurance advice, chiropractic healthcare advice, or the provision of treatment or treatment recommendations by our providers. Browsing this site does not establish a professional relationship with Barham Chiropractic or any member of the Barham Chiropractic staff.

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You can also reach out to our Sacramento Chiropractor Office via phone call at (916) 542-6273 during office hours.