Three things you should know about whiplash injuries.

Whiplash is an injury to the neck that occurs from a rapid acceleration followed by a sudden deceleration force. These sudden forces can cause tearing of the soft tissues (ligaments and muscles) and damage to the  joints of the spine. This injury can occur from slips and falls but is most often associated with motor vehicle accidents.

1st: Symptoms may not occur until 24-72 hours after the accident. Unfortunately, it takes only 72 hours for an injury to become "chronic". This is why whiplash injuries can be so problematic.  Once an injury becomes chronic it much more difficult to heal.  According to Dr George Langlitz, "some 45% (of whiplash patients) report they still suffer with symptoms two years later." Having your spine evaluated after an accident is a good idea, even if at first you do not have any symptoms.

2nd Symptoms are not always as straightforward as having neck pain.

Symptoms may be as follows:

• Difficulty with vision

• Dizziness

• Nausea

• Ringing in the ears

• Neck pain

• Pain between the shoulder blades

• Shoulder pain

• Difficulty swallowing

• Headache

• Tingling or numbness in face, head, shoulders, arms, or hands

• Jaw or face pain

3rd Chiropractic is a researched and proven therapy for whiplash patients. According to The British Journal of Orthopaedic Medicine (1999) 22(1):22-25, in a paper titled Chiropractic"Only Proven Effective Treatment" for Chronic Whiplash, researchers Khan et al concluded : "Our results confirm the efficacy of chiropractic, with 69 of our 93 patients (74%) improving following treatment."

It is a good idea to see a chiropractor within 24 hours after experiencing an acceleration/deceleration accident.

Dr Jerry