Whiplash is probably one of the most misunderstood and misaligned kinds of injuries; people involved in automobile accidents often suspect they have whiplash if they feel any kind of soreness in their neck. This is not to diminish the fact that whiplash is quite a common and potentially serious kind of injury incurred in automobile collisions.
What is whiplash? Whiplash is an injury to the cervical spine, or neck, and occurs when the muscles and other soft tissues are hyperextended or hyperflexed.
Most instances of whiplash occur during a front-end or rear-end automobile collision. The force of the vehicle being struck or striking another object are quite powerful, and can cause the neck muscles, ligaments, and tendons to twist and turn with incredible, unnatural force. These tissues, which are stretched far beyond their natural limits, can become torn and, in some cases, permanently damaged. In addition, vertebral discs in the cervical spine can bulge, tear, and rupture. This disruption causes the muscles to do the work that the ligaments were intended to do. After time, these muscle will fatigue and cause pain and inflammation.
Chiropractic restores the vertebra and the surrounding soft tissue to its normal physiological position. This, in turn, allows the body to heal itself while in the proper position. If left untreated, the spine can heal in the incorrect manner and cause problems such as neck pain, headaches and nerve pain in the future. Dr. Lewis not only addresses the spine but the surrounding muscles, tendons and ligaments that help support the spine. In most cases, he will utilize electric muscle stimulation to aid in reducing the inflammation.
