Discovering the Problem

An auto accident injury can cause many health problems within the body including neck and back pain.  Many people will feel the effects of whiplash months after the injury has occurred.  Choosing a chiropractor to help relieve neck or back pain from an accident or fall is a reliable solution to a painful problem.  The chiropractor will evaluate the patient’s medical history during the first session of chiropractic treatment.  The physician will ask if the patient has been in an accident or sustained any trauma in the past several months.  Patients who have sustained a fracture in the neck will typically have a stiff and painful neck.  If the patient does have a fracture, the chiropractor will require a spinal x-ray to further examine the issue.  The physician will also ask if there has been any shoulder pain accompanying the neck or back pain.  It is also important that the patient explains to the doctor any headaches or head pains they have been experiencing since the accident.  Providing the physician with all medical history information will result in a proper diagnosis.

Chiropractors Perform Adjustments

Chiropractors may use different adjustment techniques to relieve back or neck pain.  The physician will apply pressure and force to the patients back that will help relieve pain.  This force will push the spine beyond its typical movement and motion.  Pushing the spine beyond movement will increase the range of motion and help to relieve back pain.  Chiropractors may also use other pain relief techniques such as exercise, stretching, and massage methods to relieve pain caused from auto accident injuries. 

Neck pain and headaches can go hand-in-hand and is bothersome and can be debilitating if left untreated or treated incorrectly.  90% of the U.S. population gets a headache annually while 16-17% suffers from at least one migraine in their lifetime.  This calculates to over a billion worldwide experiencing a migraine in their lifetime.  The best question to ask a headache sufferer is, “Is this a new type of headache?”  This will rule out the possibility of a stroke or other underlying trauma to the brain.  Migraines are much more common in women than men with common migraines occurring more frequently than classic migraines.  A migraine that exhibits an “aura” is deemed a classic migraine.  The aura happens less than 30 minutes before the pain begins and the patient experiences visual illusions like halos around various objects.  Hearing and their sense of smell may also be affected.  Individuals suffering from classic migraines may experience nausea and vomiting.  On the other hand, common migraine sufferers never experience an aura.  The “pounding criteria” helps to diagnose whether or not a person might be suffering from a migraine and is demonstrated as follows: Pulsating, Onset of duration is 4-6 hours, Unilateral, Nausea, and Debilitating.  Three out of the five criteria can accurately diagnose a migraine headache versus another type of headache.  A neck pain doctor or chiropractor can make the necessary diagnosis in order to effectively treat the neck and/or headache patient.  Through complete physical examination, a case history including social behaviors and diet, possible imaging modalities such as x-ray a proper diagnosis can be sought.  A chiropractor will then adjust the neck with different techniques and apply physical therapy and modalities therefore relieving pain and increasing range of motion and the quality of life of the suffering patient.  While pain medication like Tylenol or Advil only temporally reduces the symptoms, chiropractic adjustments-with the help of lifestyle change eliminates the problem in its entirety.

 Symptoms and Treatment

The medical definition of whiplash simply states that it is injury to the cervical soft tissues following an abrupt or excessive extension and flexion of the neck. This is common in victims of auto accidents. Severe cases of whiplash can cause damage to the joints, discs, nerves, blood vessels and the spine itself. Someone suffering from whiplash will generally feel the onset of symptoms immediately or within twenty-four hours of the injury. Some of the symptoms they may experience include neck pain and stiffness, headache, dizziness and muscle spasms. Any damage to the esophagus and larynx may cause difficulty with swallowing and chewing as well as hoarseness. Treatment for whiplash generally includes x-rays for a physician to rule out fractures or any other serious injury, range of motion exercises and physical therapy after the initial seventy-two hours, heat therapy and traction, if symptoms persist for longer than four weeks. It has been observed that excessive rest following whiplash can lead to muscle atrophy and loss of cervical range of motion. It is advised to avoid prolonged rest to help prevent additional pain and stiffness of the neck.

References Cited in this Article

www.spineuniverse.com

www.medicinenet.com

www.webmd.com

www.healthscout.com

 Research

Research conducted by the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER) shows the effectiveness chiropractic care has on migraines and chronic headaches.  The study done at Duke University in 2001, demonstrated different types of physical and mental treatments used to treat patients suffering from chronic headaches.  Researchers compared chiropractic care to amitriptyline, a medication used for headaches, and found that chiropractic care was highly effective for patients with tension headaches.  Even after chiropractic therapy was discontinued, patients continued to see reduction in headache tension whereas patients on medication reverted back to the same state as before.  Chiropractic care can improve physical health and allows the body to fix a correction that lasts beyond the actual treatment itself.