Whiplash Specialist
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Spence Chiropractic Center
Chiropractors located in San Diego, CA
When you’re in an auto accident, whiplash is among the most common types of injuries that can occur. If you have neck pain and other signs of this condition, it’s important to get treatment quickly. Proper treatment also ensures that your injury heals correctly. At Spence Chiropractic Center, Dr. Christopher Spence offers whiplash treatment for patients in San Diego, California.
Whiplash Q & A
What are the signs of whiplash?
When you have whiplash, you might experience one or more of the following symptoms:
- Neck pain that ranges from mild to severe
- Neck pain that gets worse when you turn your head
- Stiffness in your neck
- Headaches that usually come from the base of your skull
- Shoulder or upper back pain
- Tingling in your arms
Why do I have whiplash?
You get whiplash when a sudden force causes your head and neck to snap back and forth rapidly. This rapid back-and-forth motion can cause damage to your muscles, spinal discs, ligaments, and other soft tissue.
This injury commonly occurs during auto accidents, but you can also get whiplash from playing contact sports.
When do I need treatment for whiplash?
If you have any symptoms of whiplash after an auto accident or sports injury, you should have your neck and head checked out.
Your condition could worsen without prompt care and lead to complications, such as memory problems, mood changes, and trouble concentrating. You can also end up with chronic neck or upper back pain when you don’t have this condition treated.
How is whiplash diagnosed?
Dr. Spence conducts a physical exam that includes testing your neck’s range of motion to see if it’s limited. He then checks for areas of tenderness in your neck, upper back, and shoulders.
If needed, he also orders imaging tests, such as X-rays or MRIs, to determine how severe your injury is and to see which parts of your neck and upper back have been affected.
How does chiropractic care help whiplash?
Whiplash can cause damage to discs in your upper spine, resulting in ongoing pain and other symptoms.
Dr. Spence makes chiropractic adjustments to your upper spine to correct any misalignments that have occurred, which helps your damaged discs heal. Realigning your spine also takes pressure off of nerves in the affected area, which relieves pain, stiffness, and other symptoms.
How does physical therapy help whiplash?
Dr. Spence might include physical therapy as part of your treatment plan, along with chiropractic adjustments.
Physical therapy teaches to make the muscles in your upper back and neck stronger and more flexible, which also eases whiplash symptoms. The exercises you do during physical therapy also help reduce your risk of having chronic pain.
If you need whiplash treatment in San Diego, please contact Spence Chiropractic Center to set up an appointment with Dr. Spence.
