- Neck & Back
- Chronic Pain
- Compression Fractures
- Concussions
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Headaches & Migraines
- Herniated or Bulging Disc
- Low Back Pain
- Neck Pain
- Mid Back Pain
- Osteoporosis
- Poor Posture & Forward Head Syndrome
- Post-Surgery Rehab
- Radiating Pain
- Sciatica & Radiating Pain
- Spondylolisthesis
- Spinal Arthritis & Spinal Stenosis
- Sprain / Strain
- Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMD)
- Whiplash
- McKenzie Method
What is Whiplash?
Whiplash can occur with many different accidents, but is often seen in
motor vehicle accidents. The weight of the head and spine is whipped
back and forth with the fast movement of an accident or fall. The
muscles in the neck don't have time to react and the harsh forces,
strain, rip and tear muscles, ligaments and other tissues. In severe
cases, fractures can occur in the bones of the neck (vertebrae).
Due to the shock and trauma initially from an accident, pain may or may not be present. Whiplash typically feels worse 1–2 days after the injury as inflammation sets in and tissues become swollen. This can lead to headaches, pain with movement and even numbness / tingling into the upper extremities.
Often, people can have long standing weakness of the neck muscles, leading to future problems, if their whiplash is not fully treated. Strengthening and postural exercises are very important to maintain stability in the neck after a whiplash injury.
How physical therapy helps
There are different phases or treatment to help you after suffering
whiplash. Our therapists will work with your physician on the
appropriate treatment to help you recover and relieve your pain. At
first very gentle hands on therapy, massage, ultrasound and electrical
stimulation may be administered to relieve the pain and gently help
swollen tissues recover.
Gradual progression is then made with restoring range of motion and beginning very gentle exercises. As you progress, the pain reduces and your range of motion improves, strengthening and postural exercises will be introduced to help you have a full recovery. It is very important to continue through with the recommended treatment plan of your therapist to achieve a full recovery and prevent future problems from occurring. Call us today to discover how we can help you relieve your whiplash pain quickly and make a full recovery.
