What is whiplash?
Whiplash is a neck injury caused by the head being thrown quickly forward and back, or side to side. It most often happens in rear-end collisions, but side impacts, sports and falls can cause it too, and so can a low-speed crash. The injury can involve the muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints or discs of the neck, which is why an individual exam matters.
Common whiplash symptoms
- Neck pain or stiffness
- Less range of motion when you turn your head
- Headaches, often at the base of the skull
- Shoulder or upper back pain
- Tingling or numbness in an arm or hand
- Dizziness
- Tiredness
- Trouble sleeping or concentrating
Dizziness, confusion, memory problems or trouble concentrating can also be signs of a concussion. If you have them, we'll recommend a medical evaluation.
Symptoms that can show up days later
Some people feel sore right away. Others feel fine at the scene and notice stiffness, headaches or arm symptoms the next day or later. Soft-tissue injuries often don't show on X-rays. It helps to write down when each symptom started and to get checked soon after the accident, so there's a record of how you're doing from the start.
What the exam includes
- History. How the crash happened, where you were sitting, the position of your head, and what you've felt since.
- Physical exam. Posture, how your neck and upper back move, and where it's tender.
- Neurological and orthopedic tests. Reflexes, strength and sensation in your arms, and tests that help tell a muscle or joint problem from a nerve problem.
- Imaging if needed. We refer you for X-rays or an MRI when your exam calls for it, and to a medical doctor or specialist when your injuries need more than we provide.
- Your plan, explained. We go over what we found and what we recommend before any treatment starts.
What care may include
Care is based on your exam and may include:
- Chiropractic adjustments, manual or low-force, for stiff, restricted joints
- In-office therapeutic exercise to strengthen the neck and upper back and help restore normal movement
- Electrical muscle stimulation or intersegmental traction alongside your visit
- Exercises to do at home, and advice on work and daily activities that may aggravate your neck
Everyone heals differently, and we can't tell you in advance how long it will take. We check your progress as we go and adjust the plan, or refer you, if you're not improving as expected.
Records and payment
We document your exam, each visit and your progress, so your history is clear for you and your insurer. Most accident patients pay nothing at the time of their visits.* See how car accident care can be paid for, including MedPay and health insurance.
Two offices
See a whiplash chiropractor at our Savannah office at 1510 Drayton St, with Dr. Jonathan Jewett, D.C., or our Pooler office at 1011 Towne Center Blvd, Suite 103, with Dr. Brandon Linker, D.C. (about our doctors). One number rings both: (912) 600-2866.
Read more: Whiplash treatment (article) · What to do after a car accident · Car accident chiropractor in Savannah & Pooler
Dynamic Spine & Rehab is a chiropractic clinic. Our doctors are doctors of chiropractic (D.C.), not medical doctors. This page is general information, not medical, legal or insurance advice.