Whiplash’s Long-Term Affects—Are You at Risk?

Whiplash can occur in any sort of injury or accident that whips the head forward and backward or side to side very quickly. Even a minor car accident can result in long-term pain and other symptoms. In fact, according to one recent study, between 4 and 8 percent of people who experience whiplash have still not returned to work one year after the injury occurred. This type of injury can, therefore, have major effects on a person both physically and emotionally.

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A System for Predicting Long-Term Disability

The same research noted above was part of the results of a study performed to see if long-term whiplash effects could be predicted at the time of the injury. In order to assign a risk category, the patient needs to be examined within 4 days of sustaining the injury. However, differences between the 7 risk categories only varied slightly. For example, in the lowest risk category, the number of patients yet to return to work after one year was at 4%, but that number only increased to 7.68% for the highest risk category. This shows that even so-called minor whiplash injuries can still have long-term effects.

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Seeking Treatment for Whiplash Injuries

You may not immediately think of chiropractic after a neck injury. After all, the last thing you want is to have your neck violently popped or twisted again. However, upper cervical chiropractic is very different. Only very gentle methods are used, making the adjustment safe and effective.

At Crowder Specific Chiropractic, we focus our attention on the C1 and C2 vertebrae. By gently correcting misalignments in this vital area of the body, many ongoing symptoms of injuries can be relieved. This is because the misalignments sustained in this location may affect brainstem and overall central nervous system function resulting in long-term health problems. A consultation can help you to find out if this is the best way to treat your whiplash injury.

To schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Crowder, call our McKinney office at 972-449-5845. You can also click the button below.