Whiplash is a neck injury that happens when your head snaps back and forth suddenly. Most people get it from car accidents, especially when they’re rear-ended, but it can also happen during contact sports or from a bad fall.
Though the injury may not seem severe at first, whiplash can cause significant pain and stiffness in the days that follow. Neck pain, headaches, limited mobility, and muscle tightness are common symptoms. These can make everyday activities, such as driving, working, or sleeping, uncomfortable or difficult.
When whiplash is not treated properly, symptoms can persist for months or even years. However, getting the right care early on can prevent this.
Chiropractic care can be an effective part of treatment for whiplash-related pain, but only when it is provided by trained and experienced professionals. At OasisMD Lifestyle Healthcare in San Diego and Temecula, we provide chiropractic care with medical guidance to protect your neck and support proper healing.
Here, we explain how whiplash affects the body and how chiropractic care can help with pain and movement.
The sudden force of whiplash can strain muscles, stretch or tear ligaments, irritate joints, and affect the alignment of your spine.
In the hours or days after the injury, you often experience inflammation. Muscles tighten to protect the area, which can limit movement and increase pain. Nerves may also become irritated, leading to headaches, shoulder pain, or tingling in the arms.
Because these changes aren’t always visible on X-rays or MRIs right away, whiplash is sometimes underestimated. But the pain and stiffness people experience can be debilitating.
Many people expect whiplash to resolve with some rest. Although mild cases can improve over time, others do not. When your neck gets stiff and you start avoiding movement because it hurts, your muscles can get weaker, and your joints can lose their normal range of motion.
What results is a vicious cycle that prolongs your symptoms and slows down recovery. Without treatment, some people end up with chronic neck pain, constant headaches, or limited mobility that makes it hard to work, sleep, or exercise.
Chiropractic care focuses on restoring normal movement to your spine and helping your body heal itself. For whiplash specifically, that usually means working on mobility in your neck and upper back, easing muscle tension, and addressing the joint restrictions caused by the injury.
Gentle, precise adjustments and hands-on techniques can help relieve pressure, improve alignment, and reduce pain. As your movement gets better, your muscles relax, and the inflammation eases up.
Treatment for whiplash is not one-size-fits-all. It starts with a thorough evaluation, looking into how you got injured, what symptoms you’re managing, and whether you need any imaging.
Your care might include gentle spinal adjustments, soft tissue work to loosen tight muscles, and guided exercises to help you rebuild strength and mobility. The goal is to get you moving normally again without making things worse.
We’ll track how you’re doing over time and adjust your treatment as your neck heals.
Whiplash can be painful, limiting, and frustrating, but it doesn’t have to become a chronic problem. Chiropractic care provided by trained, experienced professionals, which you get at OasisMD Lifestyle Healthcare, can help relieve pain, restore movement, and support healing.
If you’re dealing with whiplash pain, schedule a consultation with us at OasisMD Lifestyle Healthcare today.
