One second you are sitting at a stop light waiting to go and the next split second you feel pain in your neck and realize you have just been rear ended! It will happen that fast. There may be no damage to your car or your trunk may be pushed into your back seat. Either way if you have pain after being rear ended you most likely have whiplash.
Low speed collisions?
Most rear end impacts occur at speeds less than 20 MPH. But consider the average car weighs over 2,900 lbs! Now when you think of being hit by an object that large at 20 MPH you can understand more why you have neck pain. Most cars these days are built to withstand this type of impact from a property damage standpoint. Although most cars do not have head restraints that are adequate to prevent whiplash. Also, most people do not use their head restraints properly to prevent whiplash. Whiplash is a very serious condition and effects millions of people each year. When the head is whipped back and forth you can injure the muscles and tendons of the neck (cervical spine) but worse you may injure the joints, ligaments and even the disc (the soft tissue that separates the bones of the neck) of the spine. Pain from a whiplash can be immediate, but many people do not feel the pain from the whiplash for three or four days after the injury. This is becasue that is how long it takes for the swelling of the tissues to create pain.
The ER?
If you go to the ER they are concerned with life and death, broken bones or internal bleeding. Once they realize you are not in this category they will most likely send you home with some pain meds and tell you to rest.
Chiropractic
You want your injury fixed! Not just covered up with pain medication. This is why most people will want to find a chiropractor that is trained in treating whiplash after their car accident. Also find a chiropractor that will refer you to the proper medical doctor if needed and also to massage therapy. So many people feel they need to rest after a car accident. That is the worst thing for you. Rest and lack of movement will result in more scar tissue from the injury and that will lead to long term pain and lack of range of motion. Proper movement with exercise coupled with chiropractic adjustments and massage will lead you back to pain free life you desire.
If you have been in a car accident of any kind please call us at 425.353.7246
At Advanced Chiropractic, we have helped thousands of whiplash victims over the years. If you or someone you know has been involved in a whiplash type injury and you are having neck pain, upper back pain, low back pain, headaches, shoulder pain, arm pain or carpal tunnel like pain please browse this web site for more information on whiplash. There are a few videos to look at to see exactly what happens when you get hit from behind.
Then give us a call and we will make an appointment for you as soon as possible. It is well known that early treatment will help you recover from your whiplash injury sooner than if you wait. The worst thing I hear is "I thought the pain was going to go away."
Click Here to explore another great site all about whiplash.