Finding Help For My Back Problems

If you were in a motor vehicle accident and sustained severe neck pain and loss of mobility when turning your head, then you may have sustained a whiplash injury. Whiplash is typically the result of sudden and fast back-and-forth jerking head and neck motions sustained during accidents.

In addition to severe pain, whiplash can also cause a decreased range of motion, shoulder pain, headache, and tingling sensations in one or both of your upper extremities. When visiting your whiplash chiropractor following your neck injury, they may recommend the following treatment options to help ease your pain and restore your mobility.

Diathermy Thermal Treatments

Your whiplash chiropractor may recommend a pain relief treatment known as diathermy. This effective treatment option uses electromagnetic waves to generate heat, which causes movement and vibration to occur deep inside your tissues. Diathermy treatments help heal injured muscles, tendons, and nerves caused by whiplash injuries by enhancing circulation and blood flow to the affected areas.

While you may notice a dramatic relief in pain and restored mobility after only a single diathermy treatment, your whiplash chiropractor may recommend multiple sessions depending on the extent of your symptoms. In addition to whiplash, diathermy heat treatments are also effective in relieving pain associated with sprained muscles and strains that may also accompany your whiplash injury. 

Deep Tissue Massage Therapy

Another effective treatment option your whiplash chiropractor may offer is deep tissue massage therapy. This treatment helps soothe tight muscles, promotes mobility, enhances flexibility, and reduces pain. In addition, deep tissue massage promotes circulation and helps your body release certain hormones known as endorphins which are thought to have powerful pain-killing properties.

Massage also helps promote the release of serotonin and dopamine which may help relax your body and promote sleep. Sleep is often disturbed in people who have sustained painful whiplash injuries. While deep tissue massage can greatly improve your symptoms, be sure to tell your whiplash chiropractor about any preexisting conditions that you have such as cervical disc herniation, sciatica, or scoliosis before they begin your therapy. 

If you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident and experience any of the above symptoms of a whiplash injury, see your doctor as soon as possible. When treatment is implemented soon after your car accident, you may be more likely to enjoy a better prognosis and an event-free recovery period than you would have had you delayed your treatment. 

Talk with a whiplash chiropractor for more information.