Don’t let whiplash go untreated.
Whiplash can negatively affect your well-being, especially if you don’t address it. No matter how the injury occurred, it helps to be seen and start care as soon as possible. If you initially left it to heal on its own and are noticing problems now, it’s not too late to seek care, but it’s best to get seen as soon as possible. Even if you were only in a minor fender-bender, there are many reasons to get whiplash treated by a trained professional instead of letting it heal on its own.
Cause of Whiplash Injury
Though most commonly associated with car accidents, whiplash can be caused by any impact on the body that causes the neck to move back and forth rapidly. This “whip-like” snapping of the neck injures the neck’s vertebrae and the muscles and ligaments supporting them. Whether from an auto accident, sports collision, or fall, the force on the neck may severely impact the disc in that part of the spine.
Is not treating whiplash dangerous?
Most cases of whiplash will result in pain and stiffness that will clear within a few weeks if properly treated. However, whiplash can lead to more concerning issues depending on the extent of the injury, including headaches, dizziness, blurry vision and joint degeneration. If left untreated, these can become chronic issues.
Reasons to Get Whiplash Treated
A Trained Professional Will Assess the Extent of Injury
You should never leave whiplash untreated. Even if you were only in a minor accident, you should be evaluated by a trained professional for potential trauma to your neck and spine. When you leave whiplash untreated, you open yourself up to more significant problems later on.
Untreated Whiplash Increases Risk of Further Problems
Untreated whiplash can increase your risk of injury in the future, limit your range of motion, lead to migraines, and cause pain in the neck and other parts of your body. You want to avoid messing around with or trying to treat whiplash on your own. The sooner you can start treatment, the better. On the flip side, the longer the problem goes unaddressed, the longer it will take to heal and the more it will impact your quality of life.
You Risk Losing Your PIP Insurance
Depending on where you live, you only have a certain amount of time to be seen by a medical professional, or you risk losing out on your personal injury protection insurance. In Florida, you have 14 days to get evaluated following an accident. Ensure you get seen so that injuries and treatment can be covered under a PIP claim.
Healing from Whiplash
Whether you were recently in an accident or looking to address untreated whiplash, chiropractic has shown to be particularly well-suited for relieving neck pain and other debilitating whiplash symptoms. Chiropractic adjustments can:
- restore movement lost after the accident
- overcome muscle weakness and enhance muscle tone
- speed recovery
- diminish chronic symptoms
- return the impacted discs to their natural alignment
Depending on the severity of the injury, your chiropractor may also recommend spinal decompression therapy, which will help to alleviate pressure on the affected discs and loosen stiff muscles, allowing the neck more ability to heal.
While it is best to treat whiplash right away, if you have noticed untreated whiplash affecting your life, seeing a chiropractor can provide relief.
Whiplash Treatment in Oviedo, Florida
At ProCare Oviedo Chiropractors, our doctors are skilled at helping whiplash patients recover. Don’t let whiplash hurt your quality of life; our team is ready to support your healing. We serve Oviedo, Casselberry, Bithlo, and the surrounding areas. Contact our office to get started on a care plan today!
