Whiplash Treatment
What is Whiplash?
Whiplash is the most common auto accident injury. It occurs when the force of a rear-impact accident “whips” the cervical spine beyond its normal range of motion, affecting the spine’s natural curvature. When the cervical spine is out of alignment, this misalignment can impact everything from your ability to sleep comfortably through the night to reduced mobility. Chiropractic adjustments help bring proper alignment back to the cervical spine, restoring natural curvature and reducing pain. If you are suffering from whiplash pain after an auto accident, our Boca Raton chiropractor is here to help.
Symptoms of Whiplash
A common misconception about whiplash injuries is that if your vehicle does not sustain serious damage, then your whiplash injury is minor or has not occurred at all. Unfortunately, as any Boca Raton whiplash victim knows all too well, all it takes is a minor fender bender to cause serious damage to the cervical spine. Low impact collisions can still have a serious impact on the musculoskeletal system and cervical spine. If you are experiencing neck pain, soreness and stiffness, shoulder pain, or headaches at the base of the skull, you may have sustained a whiplash injury.
In addition to pain, headaches and reduced mobility, common whiplash symptoms include difficulty concentrating on simple tasks, a lack of focus, difficulty sleeping at night, and increased irritability. You may also experience tenderness and pain in the shoulders and jaw; many whiplash victims suffer from TMJ pain that is related to their accident. Blurred vision, ringing in the ears, memory problems and depression are common.
Long-Term Effects of Whiplash
Without effective treatment from our chiropractor in Boca Raton, a whiplash injury can have a serious long-term impact on your overall health. When the cervical spine is out of alignment, it may compress nearby nerves, triggering radiating pain sensations along the length of the nerves. This compression can also affect nearby muscles. For example, if the RCPM muscle is compressed, it may spasm, which in turn triggers headaches. Whiplash injuries do not simply “go away” on their own. As long as the cervical spine is out of alignment, you will continue to experience pain and reduced mobility. Additionally, a misaligned cervical spine increases the risk for chronic headaches, jaw pain, and health complications.
Can a Chiropractic Adjustment Help?
Chiropractic adjustments are an effective treatment option for whiplash that targets the root cause for pain: the spinal misalignment. Our Boca Raton whiplash chiropractor uses diagnostic exams to determine the precise location of a subluxation or cervical spine misalignment following a whiplash injury. Chiropractic adjustments bring proper alignment back to the cervical spine, relieving nerve and muscle compression for long-lasting pain relief and increased mobility. In fact, see the below picture* of an actual whiplash patient (2016) of before (left side) and after (right side). You can see considerable improvement of the spine back to it’s normal curvature on the right. Chiropractic can help!
Whiplash patient (left-before) and treatment (right-after). Normal curvature achieved with chiropractic.
Whiplash Treatment Program
If you suspect you have whiplash or are experiencing any of the symptoms of whiplash, including headaches and neck pain, it is important to make an appointment with our auto accident injury chiropractor for whiplash treatment.
While whiplash is not a fatal injury, it can be debilitating if not treated promptly. The neck and spine have a very specific curvature that must be maintained in order for the spine to function properly. When whiplash occurs, the natural curvature of the spine is reduced, and if the injury is severe enough, the vertebrae in the neck completely lose their curvature, which results in a straight alignment. This places incredible pressure on the front of the neck and prompts the body into trying to fix the injury. Unfortunately, the body’s natural response to whiplash is to grow new bone, which results in bone spurs along the neck and compressed disks, and if left to grow long enough, it can result in severely restricted movement of the neck.
Dr. Allan DellaBella, has successfully treated whiplash symptoms and facilitated complete healing of hundreds of Boca Raton patients over the years by using the Thompson Technique to restore the curvature of the spine, massage therapy and cervical neck pumps.
The Thompson technique is a specific type of chiropractic adjustment. It was created in the 1950s by Dr. Thompson as a way to more effectively adjust his patient’s backs with minimal force and discomfort. This technique involves the use of a specially designed chiropractic table that contains various droppable sections. During the session, our chiropractor sets the sections according to how far they need to drop when he performs the adjustment. At the time of the adjustment, our chiropractor uses a quick thrust of his hands to trigger the section into dropping, which completes the adjustment without additional pressure from our chiropractor. This is very effective at restoring the natural curvature of the spine.
Massage therapy may also be recommended in addition to chiropractic adjustments. Receiving regular massages helps the muscles of the back and neck relax, reduces inflammation and helps prevent the formation of rigid scar tissue. It also increases the effectiveness of the chiropractic adjustments and provides general pain relief.
Cervical neck pumps are used to improve and fix posture, and this is very important for individuals that have incurred a whiplash injury. Whiplash creates forward pressure on the neck and changes the individual’s natural posture. Using a cervical neck pump can correct the posture and help the neck remain in alignment, and this medical device is typically covered by insurance.
CONTACT OUR BOCA RATON WHIPLASH CHIROPRACTOR TODAY
If you have recently been involved in a car accident or are experiencing any of the symptoms of whiplash, please do not hesitate to schedule an appointment with our Boca Raton chiropractor at (561) 488-4000, or request an appointment with the form located on this page.