If you have been in a motor vehicle accident, then you may benefit from seeing a Merrifield VA whiplash specialist such as Dr. Shirine Hegazi at Concept Chiropractic & Rehab. Whiplash is a painful injury to the neck. It most often occurs when one vehicle is rear-ended by another. Those in the lead vehicle may have their heads quickly thrust forward and then whipped back. When this happens there is a huge amount of stress put on the neck muscles and spinal structure. The stress can stretch the neck area, causing extreme pain and making it impossible for the affected person to move their neck in any manner.

Whiplash Diagnosis

For those who have been in a motor vehicle accident or have had undo stress put on their neck region through a sports mishap or other such occurrence, it is important to get a quick diagnosis. If whiplash is left untreated it can become more pronounced and eventually it can greatly compromise physical activity. Whiplash usually manifests itself within 24 hours after an accident, but in some instances the symptoms can take days to appear. This is important to remember as many whiplash victims feel fine immediately following an accident only to find that they are affected the next morning.

Signs of whiplash include neck pain and stiffness, headaches, which are usually felt at the base of the skull, dizziness, blurred vision and fatigue. Other symptoms include problems with memory and concentration, irritability, difficulty sleeping and ringing in the ears. Those who are unable to move their neck or head, have neck, shoulder or arm pain, or are experiencing numbness or tingling in the arms need to seek treatment immediately.

What Can You Do?

If you have been in an accident and believe you may have whiplash, then seeking help from a Merrifield VA whiplash specialist such as a chiropractor is essential. They will diagnose your condition and offer treatment options. Although many people opt to utilize painkillers when dealing with whiplash, this approach is not always the most beneficial.

Drug therapy will mask the pain but it does not promote healing. Also, there are always side effects with drug, which can often affect one’s ability to function or which may create other problems for the patient while negating the pain for a short time.

Chiropractic, which is natural and gentle, provides relief from pain while promoting healing. By making careful adjustments to the spinal area, the chiropractor is able to relieve pressure on nerves, joints and muscles while opening up the body’s natural channels for healing. Pain is alleviated and the area affected by the whiplash starts to heal.  The goal is to make the whiplash injury a fading memory as quickly as possible.

Get Help Immediately

If you’re a whiplash victim and need to see a Merrifield VA whiplash specialist, then do so immediately. The longer whiplash is left untreated the worse it can get. What started out as a simple pain accompanied by a stiff neck can become much more serious with extreme pain, stiffness and numbness radiating to the shoulders and arms. Whiplash is serious and it requires quick attention. A whiplash specialist utilizing natural chiropractic treatment offers fast, effective relief.