Whiplash is a common injury that people experience when they've had a car accident. Also known as "neck strain," whiplash is a condition caused by the sudden forward lurch and then backward jerk that occurs during an impact in an automobile. Unfortunately, symptoms of whiplash can days to present themselves after a car accident. As a result, many people fail to recognize the symptoms and connect them with the accident. Familiarizing yourself with the symptoms of whiplash and the chiropractic treatments for this condition can help speed your recovery time.

How can you tell if you have whiplash after a car accident?

If you have whiplash after a car accident, your body may present a variety of seemingly unrelated symptoms. These symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Soreness
• Dizziness
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Stiffness
• Headaches

These initial symptoms can worsen into other problems if they go untreated. People who suffer from whiplash for longer periods of time may experience anxiety, depression, memory loss and difficulty focusing on everyday tasks. Over time, this can result in dramatically lowered quality of life.

What are the treatments for whiplash?

Chiropractors treat whiplash with rehabilitation therapy designed for people with injuries of the joints and muscles. The therapeutic techniques that chiropractors use to treat whiplash include:

• Spinal manipulation. Spinal manipulation is one of the cornerstones of chiropractic care. Spinal manipulation realigns the vertebrae of the spine and eliminates subluxations (areas where the nerves have become pinched in the vertebrae). This kind of treatment improves communication between the brain and the rest of the body and provides pain relief for the patient.
• Therapeutic stretches and exercises. Chiropractors teach their patients how to stretch and strengthen the injured muscles in the body by performing special exercises and stretches. These exercises also improve range of motion, which helps the patient to get back to normal life after an accident occurs.
• Massage therapy. Chiropractors use massage therapy to relax the injured muscles and improve blood flow to the injured parts of the body.
• Lifestyle advice and nutritional advice. Often chiropractors teach patients how to speed their own healing process by administering lifestyle and nutritional advice.

These treatments are all intended to provide relief from muscle pain and help the body heal itself. If you were recently in a car accident, contact a chiropractor from a company like Back To Health Chiropractic & Wellness even if you haven't yet identified symptoms of whiplash. Your chiropractor can evaluate your condition and tell you whether or not your condition warrants chiropractic care.