There are about six million auto accidents in a year in US and about three million victims suffer from whiplash injuries. A whiplash injury is an injury to the neck and back caused due to rapid acceleration or deceleration. So many auto accident victims suffer from these injuries because it takes only 250 milliseconds for the deceleration/acceleration movement of the neck to be completed.
A Top Priority
A whiplash injury is quite serious, but sometimes the victim may not experience any symptoms for many hours, days, or even weeks. Therefore, after an auto accident it is essential to consult Wirth Chiropractic in Greenville, NC.
Does not Require High Speeds
Another important fact is that whiplash injuries can occur even when the vehicle is travelling as low as 5 mph. The neck is not protected in any way, when there is rapid acceleration and deceleration, which mainly occurs when the vehicle is rear-ended or it slams into an object. This injury happens quite commonly because the neck muscles do not have adequate time to brace for the impact.
Spine and Neck Damage
Impact from the side will also cause a whiplash injury, which is sometimes more serious, as it can cause misalignment of spine. Even in minor whiplash injuries, the ligaments in the neck are sprained, and therefore the victim needs specialized attention, which only a chiropractor can provide. The sudden acceleration and deceleration, jerks the head side to side or from front to back, which makes the ligaments in the spine and neck stretch beyond their physiological limit.
This will cause a sprain or a tear in the ligament, depending on the severity of jerking motion. In very severe whiplash injury, the nerve roots in the neck or the spinal cord can be stretched severely, which can cause more pain and long-term effects.
Accident victims suffering from neck pain, dizziness, arm pain, blurred vision, shoulder pain, nausea, or face pain, must be examined by Wirth Chiropractic in Greenville, NC. The doctor in the emergency room can only provide symptomatic relief by prescribing painkillers and analgesic medication. Only a chiropractor will be able to diagnose correctly the extent of the injury and prescribe an effective treatment plan.
If whiplash injury remains undetected or if it is not correctly diagnosed, it can cause chronic pain and other serious health problems later. To avoid such situations it is imperative to consult Wirth Chiropractic in Greenville, NC, who will be able to prescribe an effective treatment, based on the severity of the whiplash injury.
