Whiplash, which resembles the action of a cracked whip, is a type of neck trauma or injury during which your neck is unexpectedly and forcefully thrown from side to side or back to front. Whiplash can potentially damage muscles, nerves, and connective tissue in and around the upper back, neck, and spine. If you live or work in the greater Salisbury, NC, area, Dr. Benjamin Erese of Erese Chiropractic Center offers chiropractic care for those experiencing pain and other whiplash symptoms.
What Causes a Whiplash Injury?
The most common cause of a whiplash injury happens when a patient is in a car that is hit from behind. However, a traumatic fall or sports injury can potentially create a whiplash injury and its related symptoms.
If an auto accident injury causes neck trauma or whiplash, the following factors typically determine the extent of the injury and related symptoms -
- The speed of the vehicles involved in the collision
- The direction of the vehicle’s impact
- The age, physical condition, and gender of the injured individual
What are Common Whiplash Symptoms?
It is important to note that the symptoms of whiplash may not necessarily appear immediately after the event or the accident. In fact, certain whiplash symptoms do not manifest for days or weeks. As such, it is essential to recognize that even if you have no pain or symptoms (after the car accident), it is not wise to assume you are uninjured. The decision to delay treatment may create an avoidable condition that becomes a chronic condition that must be managed moving forward.
Whiplash symptoms vary but will usually include one or more of the following -
- Neck pain, which increases with movement
- Neck stiffness or tenderness
- Limited range of motion
- Ringing in the ears
- Headaches from the base of the skull
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue or inability to concentrate
- Insomnia
- Tingling down your arms
- Dizziness/vertigo
Contact Erese Chiropractic Center in Salisbury, NC, for an Appointment Today
A whiplash injury has the potential to damage the neck and upper back muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. In addition, whiplash trauma often causes the misalignment of vertebrae/discs within the cervical spine. While some people are fortunate enough to recover from this type of injury without a medical professional’s attention, most whiplash patients require a professional intervention to manage current symptoms and avoid creating ongoing or chronic conditions. Contact Dr. Erese or a member of our staff at 704-636-0741 or online.