Controlling Back Pain With Chiropractic Care

Posted on: 29 June 2016

Whether you've been in a car accident or have suffered some other kind of similar injury, there's a good chance you may suffer from whiplash. If you've never had whiplash before, recognizing the symptoms can be difficult. After all, whiplash doesn't typically show symptoms right away. Instead, you'll notice some discomfort in the days after the incident. This can lead to delays in getting treatment, which may hinder your recovery. Here are a few of the earliest indications of whiplash to help you spot the condition and get treatment quickly.

Headaches

You might expect to get a headache after you've been in an accident or otherwise injured your head and neck. It is important to note that some of those headaches may be an indication of the early stages of whiplash symptoms. Most whiplash-induced headaches will begin near the base of your skull where it meets your neck. You may feel shooting pain up the back of your head, too. It could be sharp or dull, so don't dismiss dull headaches as nothing to worry about. If your headache occurs with any of these other symptoms, you'll want to seek treatment.

Neck Stiffness and Pain

Once your body's adrenaline rush settles down after the accident, the pain-blocking qualities of that adrenaline will dissipate. This can leave you with sudden stiffness or pain in your neck and upper-shoulder area. This pain is generated because the muscles will tighten up to protect the area after whiplash or other direct injuries to that area.

Blurry Vision and Dizziness

If you start to experience vertigo, that could be the result of whiplash. Whiplash can affect the muscles along your spinal column, and this can interfere with your equilibrium. This leads to a feeling of spinning or dizziness. Any pressure built up in the area can also cause blurry or cloudy vision.

Persistent Fatigue

When the adrenaline rush calms down, your body will begin to essentially take an inventory of its condition. After something like whiplash occurs, natural healing processes will begin. Part of the body's healing response is to take all available energy and direct it to the muscles that need to heal. This can leave you feeling overwhelmingly tired or fatigued.

If you're experiencing any combination of these symptoms after an experience that could have led to whiplash, it's important to seek treatment. In addition to talking with your primary care provider, you should consider reaching out to a chiropractor such as those at Contino Chiropractic Center who can help you with some massage therapy and manual adjustments to ease your discomfort.