How Can A Chiropractor Treat Whiplash in Littleton CO?

Whiplash in Littleton CO is a common injury to the neck muscles that occur when the head is rapidly moved backward or forward and then speedily "whipped" in the opposite direction. This can cause short-term or acute neck pain and restricted movement. The ligaments and muscles in the neck are stretched beyond the normal motion range. The soft tissues can tear or sprain leading to discomfort and pain.

Common risk factors and symptoms

While it commonly arises from a car accident, people get whiplash also from high-impact sports, amusement park rides, or even sudden falls. The common symptoms of whiplash are:

• Neck stiffness and pain
• Pain in the arms, upper back, and shoulders
• Blurred vision
• Headaches particularly the back of the head
• Challenges in concentrating
• Extreme fatigue
• Vertigo or dizziness

Whiplash and chiropractic care in Littleton CO

Chiropractors in Littleton CO use different techniques to help ease the pain of whiplash.

• Spinal manipulation for whiplash: Also known as chiropractic adjustments, spinal manipulation entails identifying the neck joints that are misaligned and positioning them back into their proper place. That can be done by gently moving the affected joint into the direction in which it is constrained. In some cases, the chiropractor can apply swift but gentle thrust in the desired direction and in others a slow mobilizing movement. The whiplash injury could have also aggravated a herniated or bulging disc. Therefore, chiropractors employ the flexion-distraction technique, which is a hands-on, gentle, non-thrusting spinal manipulation to ease the herniated discs.
• Muscle stimulations or relaxation as whiplash treatments: The primary whiplash treatment used by chiropractors for related muscle dysfunction is muscle stimulation and/or relaxation. That includes gentle stretches to the muscles experiencing excessive tension and repeated contractions of the muscle that is restricted. If the muscles are too tight, the chiropractor applies a more vigorous stretch. Gentle finger pressure technics will be applied to ease the pain related to tight muscles.
• Specific trigger point therapy: The chiropractor can identify spinal joints, which are limited or show abnormal motion (commonly called subluxations). He or she will help restore joint motion with a gentle thrusting technique. That can stretch body tissues and stimulates the nervous system to reinstate normal spine motion. Also, the chiropractor can identify specific tight hypertonic, painful muscle points by placing direct pressure using fingers on these exact points to alleviate muscle tension.
• Interferential electrical stimulation: While most chiropractic cares are hands-on, there are other alternatives too. One commonly used includes using an interferential electrical stimulation device. That can involve painless, low-frequency currents to stimulate the injured neck muscles. That can lower pain and inflammation caused by whiplash. If the injury is severe, the chiropractor can employ therapeutic ultrasound to increase blood circulation, and reduce muscle spasms, and neck stiffness. Chiropractors do this by sending sound waves that create gentle heat to encourage muscle relaxation.
• McKenzie Exercises, Stabilization, and Sensorimotor: McKenzie exercises are designed explicitly to lessen disc instability related to a whiplash injury. They comprise simple movements done in the clinic as well as self-care at home. This allows patients to take on an active role in their recovery. Furthermore, chiropractors use stabilization and sensorimotor approaches that are used to correct faulty movement patterns. This whiplash treatment teaches the nervous system to coordinate and control better movement patterns and enhances the ability of the neck muscles to maintain their stability.
• Soft tissue therapies: Since whiplash involves soft tissue injury, chiropractors can also include soft tissue therapies in the treatment plan. The treatment aims to restore proper muscle function by applying pressure or stretching the muscles that have excessive tension. Therapeutic massage is one common soft tissue therapy used to relieve muscle tension. Also, depending on the injury, a chiropractor can include muscle energy therapy or different stretch-and-resist techniques.
• Instrument-assisted therapy: Instrument-assisted techniques are a non-thrusting method that chiropractors often use. Using a specialized hand-held device, the chiropractor will apply force without thrusting into the spine. Also Graston technique an instrument-assisted technique is used to treat injured soft tissues. The chiro can perform gentle repeated strokes using the instrument over the injured area. Besides whiplash, this kind of stimulation is beneficial for older people who have the degenerative joint syndrome.
• Chiropractic advice on ergonomics: Chiropractors offer whiplash treatment suggestions to perform every day with minimal body strain. That can address factors including work, home, or recreational activities that can propagate the dysfunctions that are caused by whiplash accidents. Furthermore, the professionals can teach better "use of self" as well as stress reduction ways to help ease whiplash pain.

The takeaway

If you are experiencing whiplash pain, a chiropractor in Littleton CO can treat your body as a whole. He or she will examine the underlying cause of the pain and develops a tailored treatment depending on the severity of the injury. More so, an emphasis on prevention and self-care at Littleton Chiropractic as the key to body upkeep will be advocated. This allows you to have short and long-term pain relief.