Long-term Effects of Whiplash Injury

Many people think of whiplash as a minor injury you suffer when you’ve been involved in a car accident. However, whiplash injuries are more than that. They could start as minor invisible injuries. But if left untreated, they often degenerate into chronic headaches, neck pain, vertigo, and more. Treatments for this condition include medication, physical therapy, and chiropractic care.

What is Whiplash Injury?

Over the years, there have been several misconceptions about this condition. Some people view whiplash as a symptom of neurosis. Others call it a make-believe disorder, feigned by those looking to collect some claim or compensation. Yet every day, more and more people continue to suffer in pain because of this condition.

Even though many issues surrounding whiplash injuries remain controversial, medical practitioners seem to agree on two elements. First is the fact that whiplash injuries occur when one is in a vehicle. Secondly, these injuries affect the neck and the areas surrounding it.

Symptoms of Whiplash Injury

Symptoms of whiplash sometimes start as short-term warning signs. However, if left untreated, they can degenerate into something much worse. Some short-term symptoms signs of whiplash injury include:

• A feeling of pins and needles in the neck
• Headaches
• Neck pain
• Back pain
• Tinnitus
• Shoulder pain
• Limited range of motion in the neck

These symptoms can sometimes be mild and eventually go away. Or they could be pronounced. If a person has more than a few of these symptoms, there’s a chance they will experience long-term whiplash.

Effects of Long-term Whiplash

When whiplash is left untreated for a long time, it results in serious health consequences and possibly a lifetime of pain. Imagine living the rest of your life with torn muscles in your neck.

Injuries from whiplash have a chance of causing more complicated conditions in the future. Such conditions include:

Chronic Pain

Pain is classified as chronic when it persists for more than just a few weeks. Untreated whiplash causes pain that could last from several weeks to years. Neck pain, for instance, often requires careful management and treatment. Wrong management for chronic neck pain could make it a lot worse in no time.

This means that anyone suffering chronic pain from a whiplash injury would need professional treatment as soon as possible. Some people who suffer chronic pain do not bother seeking treatment because medication has proven a short-term solution. However, chiropractic care has proven to be effective for chronic pain.

Reduced Mobility

Whiplash injury causes stiffness in certain parts of your body. This stiffness could prevent you from moving around as much as you’d like. This means you’d have reduced productivity when performing your daily tasks. To regain adequate mobility, people who suffer from this symptom must seek lasting treatment options such as rehabilitation exercises and chiropractic care in Longview.

Headaches and dizziness

People who suffer the long-term effects of whiplash injury often complain of feeling faint and dizzy. They also suffer vertigo, a condition that makes a person feel like they’re falling. This sensation of disequilibrium often causes nausea and vomiting. Headaches are also one of the most common long-term effects of whiplash injury.  Chiropractic care in Longview, WA, provides relief for people who suffer from this symptom.

How Does Whiplash Affect You?

Asides from keeping you in perpetual pain, whiplash injuries can also cause some short-term cognitive symptoms. For example, you may notice you’re easily distracted, irritated, and have difficulty paying attention to anything. Whiplash injuries can also affect your lifestyle and general productivity.

What to do if you have a Whiplash Injury?

The best thing to do if you’re suffering from whiplash injury is to seek early intervention. Treatment for whiplash injuries includes; therapy, medical care, and lots of self-care.

Doctors often prescribe OTC pain medication to manage the symptoms of whiplash injuries. However, in more severe cases, one may need prescription medication and some physical therapy.

Chiropractors offer several courses of treatment that prevent whiplash injuries from getting worse.  The earlier one begins treatment, the better their chances of recovery. Chiropractic adjustments in Longview, WA could not only help restore a range of motion to your neck, but they could also increase muscle tone, reduce headaches, pain and inflammation and improve overall well-being.

Contact Family Chiropractic Care in Longview for Whiplash Injury Treatment

If you face chronic neck pain or other whiplash symptoms due to a recent car accident, reach out to professionals today.  We understand that neck injury and severe whiplash issues stemming from a car accident can certainly be more than discomforting and will work with you on your neck injury.

If you are looking to recover from your neck injury caused by a car accident or other matter, our professionals will be here to provide comprehensive treatment. Our professionals are here to address your concerns by assessing your neck muscles and understanding your soft tissue neck injury or associated whiplash disorders.

Suppose you seek treatment via physical therapy for back pain treatment, neck pain treatment, chiropractic care for sports injuries, whiplash injury treatment, chronic whiplash, severe pain, and more. In that case, our team will be here for you. Reach out to Family Chiropractic Care at to seek treatment.