Main Line Chiropractor Answers: What Are the Effects of Whiplash?

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Photo Credit: Joel Kramer,
Flickr Creative Commons

If you’ve ever been in a car accident, particularly one in which your car was struck from behind, you may have experienced minor to severe “whiplash.”

What is whiplash? In a rear-end car accident, here’s what happens: The impact of the other vehicle causes the lower bones in your neck to hyperextend in a backward position, while the upper bones in your neck are forced into a "hyperflexed," or forward, position. To put it simply: The ligaments in your neck have been overstretched, and now you have a painful sprain. Although the ligaments aren’t broken, a sprain can still take a very long time to heal, sometimes several months. If you’re experiencing whiplash, it would be a wise idea to see a Main Line chiropractor to ease your pain and prevent further damage to your neck.

The side effects of whiplash include the following:

  • Neck pain/stiffness

  • Difficulty rocking head from side to side or from front to back

  • Back pain

  • Dizziness

  • Fatigue

  • Headaches

  • Shoulder pain/stiffness

  • Jaw pain or soreness

  • Arm pain or arm weakness

  • Ear ringing

In more severe cases, victims may suffer from emotional side effects due to “whiplash associated disorder.” These symptoms may include:

  • Depression

  • Anger/irritability

  • Anxiety

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

  • Sleeping disturbances, such as insomnia

  • Drug dependency

Despite what may be minor damage to your vehicle, it is clear that there are long-lasting, life-altering effects of whiplash that may persist unless you receive proper care from a Main Line chiropractor.

At Johns Chiropractic and Rehabilitation Center, you will receive expert chiropractic care from Dr. Theresa Johns, who will use gentle, individualized techniques to speed the healing of your whiplash strain. We also offer decompression therapy and massage therapy for all of your back, neck, and joint pain.

To ease your pain before seeing a Main Line chiropractor, you can ice your neck or take painkillers, if recommended by your doctor. Although there is no way of preventing whiplash, since you can’t predict when an accident will occur, you can certainly prepare for it by seeing a Main Line chiropractor regularly and doing simple exercises and stretches to strengthen your neck.

For more information about our Main Line chiropractic services or to set up an appointment with Dr. Johns, give us a call today at (610) 265-0220! We're conveniently located at 499 South Henderson Road in King of Prussia, PA.