What is Whiplash?
Whiplash is a neck injury that occurs when the head is suddenly and forcefully whipped backward and forward, causing the neck to undergo rapid acceleration and deceleration. This often happens as the result of a motor vehicle accident, sports related incidents or any sudden impact that causes the head to jerk violently.
What Happens to the Body with a Whiplash Injury
This unnatural movement can place extreme strain on the neck’s soft tissues. The tendons, ligaments, muscles and nerves in the surrounding areas become stretched and may tear. Like any injury, whiplash ranges in severity and can cause acute and chronic pain.
Whiplash and Osteopathic Treatment
Symptoms of mild to moderate whiplash may not appear for a few days following the incident, but it’s best to consult an osteopath as early as possible, as the symptoms can worsen after 24 hours.
Common Symptoms of Whiplash:
- neck pain and stiffness
- swelling and tenderness in the neck
- temporary loss of movement, or reduced movement, in the neck
- headaches
- muscle spasms
- pain in the shoulders or arms
Whiplash can also cause:
- lower back pain
- pins and needles, numbness or pain in the arms and hands
- dizziness
- tiredness and irritability
- difficulties swallowing
- blurred vision
- memory problems
- vertigo (a feeling you are moving or spinning)
- tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
Your osteopath will take a thorough case history and perform a series of examinations to firstly assess the severity of the injury and determine how best to treat the injury including preventing the possibility of further damage. If required, we can refer for imaging or to a specialist doctor.
We use a variety of techniques to treat whiplash, including manipulation of the spine, muscles, and joints helping to reduce any inflammation and pain of the affected area/s. Our aim is to decrease muscle spasm and tightness in the neck, head, upper back and shoulders, and improve joint mobility.
Once the initial acute pain and tissue strains have improved, treatment can then progress to exercises and rehabilitation to restore mobility and stabilise the injured area, including postural correction and muscle relaxation which both playing vital roles during the recovery process.
If you are concerned about your whiplash injury, please reach out to our friendly osteopathy team for an assessment. We will be able to work together to come up with a treatment plan that works for you.
If you'd like to make a booking with one of our osteopaths, you can call 03 3224506 or use the following link for online bookings;
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