Signs You May Have Whiplash After an Auto Accident
Whiplash is a neck injury that occurs when the head and neck are jerked forcefully forward and backward or from side to side. Whiplash can occur in an auto accident, on an amusement park ride, due to a physical fight or abuse, or after a traumatic fall. At Anderson Wellness Center, our chiropractor Dr. Kristen Steely has extensive experience evaluating patients for whiplash symptoms and designing personalized treatment plans. Visit our office if you have any of these signs of whiplash after an auto accident in Anderson, SC.
Neck Pain and Stiffness
The most common symptoms of whiplash are neck pain and stiffness. If you have sudden or chronic pain after being in an auto accident, you might have whiplash. Without treatment, you will eventually develop stiffness, inflammation, and loss of range of motion of your neck.
Upper Back and Shoulder Pain
A whiplash injury can also cause pain and tenderness in your upper back and shoulders. You may experience muscle tension, fatigue, or weakness as well. If it feels hard to hold your head up or you feel exhausted after a day at work or school because you have been fighting through upper back and shoulder pain, you may have whiplash.
Headaches or Migraines
Whiplash can worsen or increase the frequency of headaches or migraines. If you suddenly have neck pain combined with chronic or recurring headaches or migraines, you might have whiplash. Whiplash injuries can damage the delicate vertebrae, muscles, tendons, and soft tissues of the neck. This causes tension, stress, and pain that can contribute to tension headachesor cervicogenic headaches.
Dizziness and Confusion
A whiplash injury can also cause a condition called cervical vertigo, or cervicogenic dizziness. This condition can occur when there is trauma, inflammation, or nerve or joint damage in the neck. The symptoms include dizziness, confusion, nausea, vision problems, neck pain, and lack of coordination.
Neurological Symptoms
Whiplash can often cause neurological symptoms like referred pain to shoulder blades or tingling or numbness in arms or hands. It is very common to suffer from both whiplash and a concussion after a car accident. If you don’t get treatment or help right after the accident, your symptoms will get worse. If you have any of these neurological symptoms after being in a car accident, you should visit Dr. Steely right away:
● Extreme headache
● Nausea
● Dizziness
● Vomiting
● Fatigue
● Change in mood or personality
● Depression
● Anxiety
● Lack of concentration or coordination
Visit Our Chiropractor for Auto Injury Treatment
It’s very important to visit a chiropractor as soon as possible after an auto accident. At Anderson Wellness Center, Dr. Steely and our team can evaluate you for signs of common auto injuries like whiplash, concussion, spinal injury, head injury, and muscle sprains and strains. Call us today or request an appointment online for whiplash treatment.
Posted In:
Chiropractic
Auto Injury Treatment
Whiplash
