Chiropractic Treatment for Whiplash
Rain, shine, construction or black ice, Edmonton’s roads see their fair share of motor vehicle collisions. Thankfully, most of them are pretty minor. But even minor car accidents such as fender-benders can come with a heavy health cost—commonly in the form of whiplash.
Every year there are over 2 million insurance claims for whiplash in Canada, and those are just the reported cases! A 1996 study by the University Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Bristol, UK found that 93% of whiplash patients reported improvement in their symptoms after chiropractic treatment.
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What is whiplash?
The term “whiplash” describes any number of soft tissue injuries caused by rapid neck movement. When your neck moves abruptly, you can experience what’s called cervical acceleration-deceleration, which usually (but not always) happens as a result of front-to-back motion, much like what you’d experience if your car were rear-ended. The sudden neck movement causes your spine to overextend which stretches and strains your muscles and ligaments.
Most cases are mild but even a minor injury can lead to a number of whiplash-associated disorders. Many people experience long-term symptoms after an injury which can include:
- tension & cervicogenic headaches
- neck & shoulder pain
- sensory and motor dysfunction of the arms and legs
- vertigo & chronic dizziness
These symptoms can get worse by simply turning your head from side to side or looking up and down. Vertigo is also associated with nausea and balance problems and has been known to cause some pretty serious headaches.
Chiropractic whiplash treatment
Since there are so many causes and symptoms of whiplash, it’s important to get a professional diagnosis before undergoing treatment. Fortunately, at Whyte Avenue Chiropractic & Wellness we offer chiropractic treatments designed to relieve neck pain and promote healing, such as:
- focused massage & myofascial release
- movement-based exercises & mobilization techniques
- cold laser therapy
- spinal decompression & traction therapy
- kinesiology taping
Chiropractic care for whiplash can be extremely helpful in reducing pain and improving your neck’s mobility. Whiplash is also best treated sooner than later, in order to avoid long-term complications.
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But there’s a silver lining! In Alberta, your vehicle insurance automatically covers chiropractic care if you’ve recently been recently injured in a motor vehicle accident. We also have free parking on Whyte Avenue right in front of our office (and we’re close to major bus stops, in case your car is *ahem* “unavailable”).
Call (780) 466-7111 or send an email to info@whytechiro.com to book an appointment today.
