Dr. Arthur Croft, a doctor of chiropractic who is a whiplash injury expert, shares six ways to minimize pain and suffering before and after a whiplash accident.
1. Shop for a Safer Car
Before you buy your next car, compare vehicle structural design, vehicle size and weight, and restraint systems – belts, air bags, head restraints, and crash avoidance.
features. Small cars put you and your passengers at greater risk, so consider mass and crashworthiness. Also, check Insurance
Institute Highway Safety ratings.
2. Keep head rests in UP position.
Eighty percent of cars have the head restraint adjusted in the LOW position, yet research reveals that having no head restraint is safer than having one in the LOW position. Some add-on head restraints are available, but
check first for safety and ease of installation.
3. No crush, no crash?
Within a certain range of crash speeds, when there is NO DAMAGE to the vehicle, whiplash injuries are more prevalent than when the vehicle is damaged. The reason is that the energy that's used up in crushing parts of the car is not transmitted to the occupant.
4. Seek treatment immediately.
It is a huge advantage to a victim's recovery to begin treating the whiplash injury within two weeks after the accident by a doctor who specializes in whiplash injuries. Immediate treatment will decrease the likelihood of a painful, chronic condition.
5. Do what your doctor orders.
Exercises, ice, nutrition, soft collars for the first few days, adjusted work stations, deep tissue work in the early stages – do exactly
what your doctor prescribes.
6. Think ergonomically.
Positions to avoid, how to sleep, conditions at work – these are everyday factors that can hasten healing.
Aim High Chiropractic Can Help!
Aim High Chiropractic techniques and the specialized skills of our doctors are particularly well-suited to relieving the neck pain and other debilitating effects of whiplash. A recent study in the Journal of Orthopedic Medicine revealed the superiority of chiropractic care in whiplash injuries. Repeated and effective chiropractic adjustments have proved successful for many thousands of patients. If you've experienced a whiplash episode, don't delay – Call 303-922-2977 to see a whiplash injury expert today!
Prepare to Crash!
Most accidents happen lightning-fast, but if you do have time to prepare, use these tips to minimize whiplash injury:
Put your head and your neck all the way back so that you are in contact with the seat back and the properly adjusted head restraint.
Straight-arm the steering wheel and get a good grip.
If you are completely stopped, put your foot on the brake as hard as you can.
Look straight ahead, not in the rearview mirror. Do not have your head turned.
Put your neck back slightly so your eyes are looking at about the top of the windshield.
Scrunch your shoulders up toward your ears and brace for impact.
This tips were provided by Dr. Arthur Croft of The Spine Research Institute of San Diego
Back to Health to Health
Vol. 11, No. 5
Copyright (C) September 2003
Colorado Chiropractic Association
Whiplash:
The Consequences of Past and Present Injury
Whiplash injuries occur when a person's spine, or neck, is hurt by being unexpectedly or suddenly thrown very quickly in one direction, and then in the opposite direction. You might say the head is "whipped around" on the neck.
Whiplash is one of the most common consequences of auto accidents; it is estimated that 15%-30% of car occupants will suffer neck pain. Whiplash can be mild to severe and can range anywhere from rapid healing to slow healing to long-term chronic pain and impairment. It can cause serious problems because it can cause long-term damage. Studies show that a large percentage of whiplash sufferers, from 50% to as much as 88%, may continue to suffer from pain and some amount of disability for years after the accident. When left untreated, the eventual result is serious degeneration, of the neck and spine.
Whiplash symptoms may start as neck soreness or stiffness, perhaps accompanied by a headache, immediately or even 24 hours after the accident. Along with these symptoms, there may be pain and/or numbness, tingling or a pins-and-needles feeling between the shoulder blades, arm and hand.
Some people may experience ear ringing, dizziness, or even hearing loss. Sometimes the eyes can be affected and there may be pain behind the eyeballs, blurred vision, sensitivity to light or other visual symptoms. Occasionally, there may be tearing or running of the nose.
After the patient is out of danger of any other life-threatening injuries. The spine desperately needs to be checked by a Doctor of Chiropractic for life-threatening spinal damage, called the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
Many whiplash sufferers live in pain for years after the injury, forced to survive on painkillers, muscle relaxants, and various therapies, including surgery, because the spinal damage a doctor of chiropractic can correct has not been eliminated. In many cases, a visit to the chiropractor may give great relief safely, quickly and without drugs or surgery. What is needed is chiropractic care (spinal adjustment) to re-align the spinal column.
Old Whiplash?
Anyone who has ever had a whiplash injury, no matter how long ago, should see a chiropractor. The M.D.'s may have sent the patient home after x-rays and MRI or CT scans and found nothing broken or ruptured. However, the spine may still be structurally unsound. Without structural integrity, the spine will not heal properly, and problems may develop years later. Arthritis and disc problems may develop years after the accident (and the legal settlements) because chiropractors were not consulted for spinal intergrity.
Vertebral Subluxation Complex
A whiplash injury is a dramatic example of a subluxation produced by a sudden accident or trauma. Other subluxations may be caused by poor posture, repeated stressful movements, poor sleeping positions, bad diet, fatigue, constant emotional stress, or even extensive dental work.
If you've ever been involved in a whiplash-type accident, see your doctor of chiropractic as soon as possible to make sure you heal as completely as possible.
Back to top
Back to 'Chiro Education'
