Whiplash Healing Process

So, you were pulling out of a parking space this morning, you stopped at a stop light, or some other scenario. Maybe you had plans to go to the gym later that morning or to just start a load of laundry when you got home. Whatever the scenario, your plans were interrupted when you were sitting in your car and someone hit you from behind.

Now, you are experiencing a pain in your neck, and you keep hoping it will go away. That's whiplash. It will go away, but it won't go away on it's own. You will have to take steps to make it go away. It is important to follow the below steps to overcome this neck strain.

Four Steps to Overcome Whiplash

1. Ice your neck  - Place an ice pack on your neck for 20-30 minutes at a time once every three to four hours for two to three days. Make sure the pack is  covered with a thin cloth or paper towel to prevent you from getting frost bite.
2. Moist Heat – This should only be done after you have followed the above icing procedures for two or three days and the initial swelling has gone down. This might be a good time to take a warm bath or hot tub.
3. Neck Brace or Collar – If you have one, or know someone who does, you can wear this. But only wear a neck brace if your upper cervical specialist recommends it. They can weaken the muscles, so it is important to only wear them after an examination of your upper vertebra.
4. Upper Cervical – The most important step in going through the healing process after you experience whiplash is to seek out the care of an upper cervical chiropractor. They can correct any misalignments in your upper neck vertebra.

Complications after Whiplash

When you experience whiplash, your neck muscles crack in a whiplike motion, thus causing them to extend beyond their normal range of motion. There is a high probability that when your neck comes to a rest your top two vertebrae, the Atlas and Axis, will be out of alignment. This misalignment can lead to further complications including migraines, vertigo, carpal tunnel, TMJ, multiple sclerosis, and more.

To find a Doctor in your area go to www.NUCCA.org or if you are in the Redwood City California area to schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click the button below:

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Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/