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Whiplash InjuriesWhiplash occurs when the body reacts to a sudden acceleration or deceleration force with hyperflexion or hyperextension of the neck. It is very common in car accidents because the neck muscles don't have time to brace against the force. Lyn Lake Chiropractic specializes in treating whiplash, auto accident and bicycle accident injuries.
How Whiplash Trauma Shows Up
Whiplash symptoms commonly have a delayed onset, often taking weeks to become evident, depending on the direction and speed of impact and the patient's age, sex and physical condition. The most common ways it shows up:
- Neck pain: the most common complaint, often radiating across the shoulders, into the head and between the shoulder blades. Whiplash can affect every tissue in the neck, and torn disc walls are a common cause of chronic neck pain.
- Headaches: the second most common complaint, usually referred from injured muscles, ligaments and facet joints of the cervical spine.
- TMJ pain: less common but debilitating, often starting with pain, clicking and popping in the jaw. We're trained to treat TMJ and will refer to a specialist if needed.
- Lower back pain: reported in more than half of rear-impact collisions with injury and almost three-quarters of side-impact crashes.
Healing from Whiplash Injury
Whiplash requires a skilled health professional specially trained to work with these injuries. Chiropractic care uses manual manipulation of the spine to restore normal movement and position of the vertebrae.
It's by far the single most effective treatment for minimizing the long-term impact of whiplash, especially when combined with massage therapy, trigger point therapy, exercise rehabilitation and other soft tissue rehab. We see whiplash patients at both our Uptown Minneapolis and Golden Valley clinics.
Office Hours (Both Locations)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How soon after a car accident should I see a chiropractor for whiplash?
As soon as possible. Whiplash symptoms often take weeks to fully appear, so getting checked right after an accident, even if you feel only mildly sore, helps catch injuries before they progress.
What are the most common symptoms of whiplash?
Neck pain, headaches, upper back and shoulder pain, low back pain, and in some cases TMJ (jaw) pain. Symptoms can radiate into the shoulders, arms and hands.
Why do whiplash symptoms take so long to appear?
Delayed onset depends on factors like the direction and speed of impact and the patient's age and physical condition. Soft tissue injuries in particular often don't produce noticeable pain until inflammation builds over days or weeks.
What's the most effective treatment for whiplash?
Chiropractic manual manipulation of the spine, especially when combined with massage therapy, trigger point therapy and exercise rehabilitation, is the most effective approach for minimizing long-term whiplash impact.
Can whiplash cause lower back pain, not just neck pain?
Yes. Low back pain appears in more than half of rear-impact collisions and nearly three-quarters of side-impact crashes with reported injury, due to compression forces on the lower spine.