Whiplash in Lexington KY

Whiplash is a common injury following an auto accident, and Pelphrey Chiropractic in Lexington KY is here to help relieve your pain so you can keep living your life. Our team of caregivers will help develop a treatment plan to fit your individual needs for treatment of whiplash.

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Symptoms of Whiplash in Lexington KY

Similar to any injury sustained during an auto collision, the severity of whiplash will vary from person to person. You may not experience any pain until days or weeks after your accident, but you shouldn’t ignore the signs of whiplash even if you feel your case is minor. Be on the lookout for the following things if you’ve recently been in a car accident:

• The most common indicator is neck pain
• You may also have pain or discomfort in your shoulders, upper back, or arms
• Worsening pain when you move your neck
• Headaches or blurry vision
• Feeling dizzy or unusually drowsy
• A numb or tingling sensation in your neck that can also move down into your arms
• Ringing in your ears
• Difficulty sleeping

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, see a professional who can provide whiplash treatment.

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Potential Long-Term Effects

Seeking care from an auto accident chiropractor when you are looking for treatment from whiplash can help prevent or lessen some long-term effects of the condition. When left untreated, whiplash can cause the following:

• Bulging and herniated discs
• Misaligned vertebrae in the spine
• Damage to vertebrae bones
• Nerve damage
• Pulled ligaments and muscles in the neck

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Facts to Know About Whiplash

1. Many people believe you must be involved in a high-speed auto crash to sustain whiplash. On the contrary, a collision occurring at just 5-10mph is enough to cause damage to your neck. The severity of whiplash is often less if you wear a seatbelt. You can be injured even if there is no physical damage to your vehicle.
2. Your risk of neck injury increases with age and co-occurring neck problems, such as arthritis. As you age, you lose muscle mass and flexibility, which exacerbates the pain caused by the sudden, forceful movement during an accident.
3. You should never ignore the symptoms of whiplash, even if they don’t develop until weeks after the incident. The pain should be evaluated by your primary care doctor as quickly as possible. X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs may be used to rule out the presence of fractures or dislocations in the neck or confirm soft tissue damage.
4. Unlike most illnesses or injuries, rest is not the best medicine for this condition. Avoiding movement of the head and neck for more than a couple of days can increase muscle stiffness and weakness and prolong your time in pain.
5. Females are more likely to seek treatment for whiplash than males because they tend to have less muscle mass, especially in the neck area.

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Chiropractic Solutions

Whiplash treatment from a chiropractor can involve a variety of treatment modalities. Spinal manipulation, (also known as chiropractic adjustment) identifies and realigns joints in your neck that were thrown out of place. Patients already suffering from bulging or herniated discs may experience an intensification of their symptoms. In this instance, a gentle manipulation technique known as flexion-distraction is used to ease herniated discs.

Trigger point therapy is another standard tool used by an auto accident chiropractor to ease neck discomfort. Painful spots on a muscle are identified, and direct pressure is applied by hand to ease the tension. Another solution offered is ultrasound therapy. Ultrasound sends sound waves deep into muscle tissue. These waves create heat that increases circulation and consequently helps to reduce muscle spasms and stiffness.

It can take up to 6 months of accident chiropractic visits before your neck injury heals completely. We believe it’s vital to treat the cause of the pain rather than just the symptoms and will give you exercises and postural correction tips that you can utilize at home to continue your treatment. It’s essential to adhere to your treatment plan even if you begin to feel better. Prematurely stopping treatment can cause your whiplash to return and possibly be more severe than the initial injury.

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Contact Us

You can count on Pelphrey Chiropractic to help relieve your neck and back pain associated with whiplash. We offer many other services to keep you feeling your best, including stress relief and lifestyle advice. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and get on the road to recovery faster. Our office is in Lexington, KY, and we are happy to serve the surrounding areas.