Could Your Neck Pain Be Whiplash?

A neck injury has the ability to affect every aspect of your life. Whiplash is a type of neck injury caused by forceful movement of your neck. When you have whiplash, it’s hard to move your neck, sleep, or do just about anything that involves moving your head. 

But how do you know for sure that whiplash is what’s causing your pain?

At Integrated Body and Medicine, we help you understand what’s causing the pain in your neck. Our providers have years of experience treating a number of conditions, including neck pain and whiplash. 

We offer comprehensive care and cutting-edge treatments to get you the much-needed relief you want and need.

What is whiplash?

Whiplash is a painful condition that happens when your neck is forcefully whipped back and forth. This injury is common in car accidents, especially when your vehicle is hit from the back.

But whiplash also occurs due to other types of injuries, including sports-related trauma, physical abuse, and falls. The resulting strain to your neck muscles leads to neck pain and stiffness.

We often manage whiplash conservatively. Typically, your neck pain gets better with rest and home care, but in some cases, the effects of whiplash last for a long time, becoming chronic and causing other issues with your neck and body.

Understanding the symptoms

If you’ve been in an accident and suffered whiplash, you may experience such uncomfortable symptoms as:

• Pain in your neck
• Stiffness
• Decreased range of motion
• Numbness and tingling in your arms
• Tenderness in your upper back or shoulders
• Headaches at the base of your skull
• Increased pain with movement
• Dizziness or fatigue

If you’re suffering from whiplash, you may also experience ringing in your ears or blurry vision. The symptoms you experience depend on the severity of your whiplash injury. 

Your symptoms should begin to subside within a few days to weeks after your injury. If your neck pain and other symptoms don’t get better after a week or so, seek treatment to avoid further complications.

How do you treat whiplash?

If you think you have whiplash, our team at Integrated Body and Medicine evaluates your symptoms and provides diagnostic imaging to properly diagnose the condition.

If we determine that you do have whiplash, we take a proactive approach to your recovery. This includes treatments such as:

• Ice or heat therapy
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications
• Cervical collar
• Muscle relaxers
• Physical therapy
• Osteopathic manipulation
• Gentle stretching and movement

Chiropractic care is a large component in the treatment of whiplash. Our expert providers offer chiropractic care after you’ve suffered this type of injury. Not only can this relieve pain related to whiplash, it also addresses other issues in your neck and spine.

With treatment, your whiplash injury should get better within a few weeks. Early intervention is key to reducing your pain and preventing chronic neck problems.

At Integrated Body and Medicine, we specialize in personal injury. If your whiplash injury is the result of a car accident that wasn’t your fault or a work-related injury, we provide you with fast and efficient treatment to help you feel better.

If you think your neck pain could be from whiplash, call our office in the Highland and Hammond, Indiana, area today to make an appointment with our team. You can also request a consultation using our convenient online booking tool.