Whiplash

Every year nearly 3 million people suffer a whiplash injury and about half are left with some chronic pain. Whiplash, aka Cervical Acceleration – Deceleration Injury, is a relatively common injury that occurs to a person’s neck following a sudden acceleration-deceleration force, most commonly from motor vehicle collisions, sport activities and accidental falls.

The most common symptoms of whiplash are neck pain and stiffness, headaches, shoulder pain and stiffness, dizziness, fatigue, temporomandibular joint symptoms (TMJ, jaw pain), arm pain, arm weakness, visual disturbances, ringing in the ear (tinnitus) and back pain.

At Comprehensive Medical Care, a thorough examination by our physicians can diagnose whiplash symptoms. In some severe cases, diagnostic testing may be needed such as x-rays or MRI’s to rule out any major injuries in the neck. Conservative treatment utilizing chiropractic care or physical therapy are often effective relieving symptoms of whiplash.

Sometimes whiplash symptoms are latent and do not appear immediately following the incident. If signs of whiplash are present, you should immediately contact a healthcare provider for effective treatment. If whiplash injuries are left untreated, they could lead to long-term disabling neck injuries such as chronic pain, sleep disturbances, fatigue and much, much more.