Neck injury? Warning signs that signal whiplash

How do you know if you have whiplash in Sarasota, FL?

Whiplash is caused by a rapid backward and forward jerking motion of the 
head, most often as a result of a car accident or contact sports.

What are the signs and symptoms of whiplash?

Symptoms of whiplash may be delayed for 24 hours or more after the initial  injury. However, people who develop whiplash may experience one or more of the following symptoms, usually within the first few days after the trauma:  

• Neck pain and stiffness
• Headaches
• Pain in the shoulder or between the shoulder blades
• Lower back pain and stiffness
• Pain or numbness in the arm and/or hand
• Pain or numbness in the leg and/or foot
• Dizziness
• Difficulty concentrating or remembering
• Lack of focus
• Irritability
• Sleep disturbances
• Fatigue
• Muscle stiffness and limited range of motion

How is whiplash diagnosed?

Frequently, injuries are to the soft tissues such as the discs, muscles and  ligaments, and cannot be visualized on Standard x-rays. Ordering specialized  imaging tests, such as CT scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), may be  required to diagnose damage to the discs, muscles or ligaments that could be  generating the symptoms of whiplash.

How do we treat whiplash?

At Sarasota Chiropractic, Physical Therapy & Massage, we treat victims of car accidents and patients with whiplash with the following techniques:

Spinal adjustment.
Spinal adjustments assist in correcting structural alignment and improve the body’s physical function.

Massage therapy.
Massage therapy aids in relaxing stiff, injured muscles of the neck, back and extremities. It also helps relieve anxiety which helps our patients heal more effectively.

Electric muscle stimulation.
EMS helps reduce pain, increase blood flow into the injured area and relax muscle spasms.

Therapeutic ultrasound.
Therapeutic ultrasound has been shown to increase tissue relaxation, local blood flow, reduce local swelling and chronic inflammation and in some studies, promote bone fracture healing.

Therapeutic exercises and stretches.
We teach our patients how to stretch and exercise properly to help improve their ranges of motion and increase stability.

Nutritional intervention.
We instruct our patients to eat a well balanced diet focusing on anti-inflammatory foods and avoiding processed foods which helps speed up the recovery time.

Lifestyle modifications.
We help our patients make positive changes to sleeping habits, posture and mindset which helps encourage healing.

Our methods are medication-free and non-invasive. This promotes rapid  healing without the worry of side effects.

Contact our Sarasota chiropractic office today for a consultation!

If you were involved in a car accident and believe that you may have  whiplash, contact your chiropractor in Sarasota, FL at Sarasota  Chiropractic, Physical Therapy & Massage. We will be happy to diagnose and  treat your condition with our holistic healing methods. Call us today at  941-924-9892 to make an appointment.