Share:

During a survey, it was found that over 25% of drivers were involved in an auto accident in a 5-year period. In fact, someone is injured by a car crash every 14 seconds, which is the leading cause of acquired disability nationwide.

One of the most common injuries in an auto accident is whiplash. 

What is Whiplash?

Whiplash is an extremely rapid extension and flexion of the neck that results in injuries to the vertebrae, nerves, discs, muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons. 

There are four phases of whiplash injury. During a rear-end car crash, your body goes through a rapid acceleration and deceleration. In fact, going through the four phases of whiplash takes less than a second. 

During the first phase, your car is pushed out from under you and your back is flattened against the seat. This force shoves your cervical spine upwards and compresses your discs and joints. Additionally, your head moves backwards, creating mechanical and physical stress. Your headrest should help reduce the movement of your neck, but damage can still occur. 

In phase two, your torso accelerating faster than your vehicle but your head is still going backwards. This creates an S-curve in your cervical spine. During this same time, your seat is now recoiling forward acting like a springboard, causing your torso to move forward even more rapidly.

During the third phase, your torso comes to rest again in your seat, but your head and neck are accelerating forward creating a C-curve in the opposite position.

During the fourth and final phase of whiplash, your torso is stopped by the seat belt and your head continues to move forward with nothing to stop it. This results in a violent forward bending motion of your neck. This force can result in muscle strains and tears, vertebrae being shoved out of their normal position and the spinal cord being stretched and irritated. The brain may even be injured by hitting the inside of your skull.

Unlike broken bones or torn ligaments, a standard x-ray cannot detect whiplash, so it is much harder to diagnose and easier to go untreated. Newer imaging devices such s a CAT scan, MRI, ultrasound and stress x-rays can show soft tissue injury. so it is essential that if you’ve been in an accident you seek treatment with someone who can provide these diagnostic tests. 

The most common whiplash symptoms are:

  • Neck pain and/or stiffness
  • Blurred vision
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Irritability
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Pain between shoulder blades
  • Pain in arms, legs, feet, or hands
  • Headache
  • Low back pain or stiffness
  • Numbness and Tingling
  • Pain in jaw or face

If you’re the victim of a car accident in Wesley Chapel, FL, Augustine Chiropractic is here to help. With a specialty treating auto accident injuries, they’ll help you understand your injuries and design a treatment regimen to facilitate the recovery process. They can treat back, neck, and joint pain using the latest chiropractic knowledge and state-of-the-art equipment. Learn more about auto injury treatment by visiting them online. You can also call (813) 994-6008 to schedule an appointment today.

 

tracking