Whiplash is the most common injury for car accident victims. This car accident injury is often referred to as a hidden injury because the symptoms of whiplash do not always appear right away. In fact, you can develop symptoms of whiplash hours and even days after the accident! That is why you should always get checked out by a doctor after a car accident so they can assess you for common hidden injuries like whiplash that are common with wrecks. You also want to see a whiplash chiropractor because they specialize in treating this type of complex injury from diagnosis of symptoms through full healing and recovery.
What Is Whiplash?
Whiplash is a type of injury that can affect your head, neck, upper back, and even shoulders and arms. This injury is most commonly associated with rear-end collisions and fender-benders but can occur from other types of car accidents as well. When the force of the collision causes your head to fling forward and backward violently, this can cause a whiplash injury. Your neck muscles can become strained as they stretch outside of their normal range of motion and can even develop tears. The vertebrae in your neck and upper back can also become misaligned due to the severe jolt, which can also impact nearby nerves. When nerves are compressed or damaged, they can send painful tingling and numbness through your shoulders and into your arms.
Diagnosing Whiplash after a Car Accident
In order to diagnose whiplash, your whiplash chiropractor will perform a physical evaluation and also want to hear about how the accident affected you. It helps to remember as much about your symptoms as possible, including when they started and whether or not they got worse with time. Your doctor will also ask what kinds of symptoms you have experienced. The most common symptoms of whiplash include headaches, neck pain, stiffness, difficulty turning your head from side to side, and tenderness to the touch. With severe pain, your whiplash chiropractor may want to use diagnostic tests like X-rays or an MRI to rule out other potential injuries like a fracture or spinal cord injury.
Treating Whiplash after a Car Accident
In order to fully recover from your car accident injury, your whiplash chiropractor will address the specific symptoms you are experiencing. Chiropractors use safe and gentle therapeutic adjustments to help resolve any misalignments in your neck and back that may be compressing nearby nerves. These chiropractic adjustments can also help address a herniated disc, where the spinal disc that separates two vertebrae bulges out of its normal space and pressures a nearby nerve. Your whiplash chiropractor will work to restore healthy posture and functioning in your spine. They will also treat strained and torn muscles and other soft tissues that support your neck and back. Your whiplash chiropractor may recommend certain stretches and exercises to help strengthen your supporting muscles and regain range of motion in your neck.
How to Support a Car Accident Injury Claim for Whiplash
The best thing you can do for yourself is to see a doctor right away after an accident. This not only helps take care of your health and well-being but also signals to your insurance that you are taking your injuries seriously. The sooner you see a doctor after a car accident, the better they will be able to connect your pain symptoms and injury directly with the car accident that occurred. Whiplash chiropractors and car accident doctors also understand the importance of detailed and accurate documentation for your car accident injury from your first visit through diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. No two car accidents cause the exact same injury and symptoms, so it is important for your doctor to evaluate you and how your body was damaged by the car accident. It is also extremely important that you follow through with any advice from your doctor or whiplash chiropractor. When you make a car accident injury claim for whiplash, you want to demonstrate how seriously you took your injury as well as the treatment and recovery process.
At AICA Orthopedics, our team of car accident doctors includes whiplash chiropractors, orthopedic doctors, neurologists, and physical therapists so you can receive comprehensive care and an individualized treatment plan that works for you. If you are looking for a whiplash chiropractor in Atlanta, then visit AICA Orthopedics today and get started on the care you need!