Posts Tagged "whiplash"

Chiropractic After an Accident

Posted by Dr. Heuser on Sep 16, 2011 in Auto Accident, Blog, Personal Injury | 1 comment

Some injuries sustained in an auto accident are hidden and can remain undetected for months or even years.  Even a minor accident can have major effects later.  If you are experiencing soreness and stiffness after an accident you should consider a thorough chiropractic exam.  Without proper treatment, later you may experience issues such as numbness and tingling, headaches, muscle stiffness or pain, or even arthritis.

No matter how small the impact of the accident seemed, your body may have absorbed significant force to shift the spine and restrict the normal function of the nervous system.  Most people do not know this, but speeds as low as 5 miles per hour can create enough force to cause spinal injuries.  Because many individuals in low impact collisions do not notice pain right away they do not seek treatment until pain begins.  There are injuries to the soft tissue (muscles, ligaments, and discs) that cannot be seen externally or felt at the time of the accident.  These injuries can heel with scar tissue causing aches and pains and decreased health weeks or even months later.

Visiting a chiropractor after an accident is an essential step in diagnosing any potential trauma.  Chiropractors can effectively treat whiplash and other neck injuries as well as back pain and soft tissue injuries.  Chiropractic treatments can loosen stiff muscles and pain associated with the accident.  Chiropractors can determine the amount of damage sustained in the accident and recommend a proper treatment plan that is necessary for a full recovery.

Auto Injuries and Whiplash

Posted by Dr. Heuser on May 24, 2011 in Blog | 0 comments

The neck is pretty flexible, but it does have its limits. Any abrupt forceful acceleration or deceleration can cause the neck to exceed these limits. This is because the head weighs between 8 and 12 pounds—if it can, it will stay in one place. So, in an abrupt change of force, the head may lag behind the body, thus pulling the neck past its healthy range of motion. This type of injury is called hyperextension or hyperflexion, but is more commonly known as whiplash.