Whiplash is the most common car accident injury because of how your head and neck are left vulnerable to the jostling and force of impact from a wreck. While your upper body is held mostly in place when you are wearing a seat belt or if the airbags deploy, your head and neck can get shaken around and end up with an injury like whiplash. In addition to muscle pain and strain from a whiplash injury, you may also suffer from a herniated disc in your spine. When you seek treatment for whiplash, you want to see a car accident doctor who specializes in treating this kind of complex injury that can also cause a herniated disc.
Car accident doctors are highly skilled and knowledgeable in diagnosing and treating a wide variety of injuries sustained in wrecks. Whether you were in a car or riding a motorcycle, accident doctors can recognize signs and symptoms of the most complex injuries and develop treatment plans to address your specific needs for a full recovery. When you have a herniated disc along with an injury like whiplash, a chiropractor who specializes in car accident injuries is the best to see for this type of complex spinal injury.
What Is a Herniated Disc?
A spinal disc separates each of the vertebrae in your spine, providing cushioning and support as well as shock absorption. When a sudden injury or accident jolts the body or puts too much pressure on the spine, it can cause a spinal disc to slip out of place or bulge outside of its normal space. A herniated disc is also commonly referred to as a slipped disc or bulging disc because of how it occurs. When you have a herniated disc, you may experience pain and a sensation like pins and needles, which can feel like tingling and numbness. This sensation may occur elsewhere in the body because the herniated disc is putting pressure on a nearby nerve.
What Causes a Herniated Disc?
An injury like whiplash occurs when the force of impact from one vehicle hitting another causes your head and neck to snap forward and backward violently. When this happens, it can strain the muscles in your neck that support your head and lead to stiffness and soreness. It can also cause damage to the spine in your neck, including the spinal discs located there as well. You may develop a herniated disc in your spine around your neck or even in your back when you have been in a car accident. The force of the accident can put a tremendous amount of pressure on your spine and spinal discs are vulnerable to this type of injury.
How Is a Herniated Disc Diagnosed?
When you visit a chiropractor for a car accident injury, they will want to assess your whole spine to see how it has been impacted by the wreck. During the physical examination, they will look for any misalignments in your spine where vertebrae or spinal discs have been shifted or forced slightly out of place. With an injury like whiplash, your neck muscles may be tender and you may even experience some swelling. In some cases, your doctor may want to run a diagnostic imaging test to get a clearer picture of the affected area. An X-ray or CT scan can provide your car accident chiropractor with a quick image of your spine and help identify the precise location of the misalignment.
How Do Chiropractors Treat a Herniated Disc?
Chiropractors use safe and all-natural therapeutic techniques to treat all types of injuries and conditions. The treatment plans developed by your chiropractor will take your whole body into consideration, including how your symptoms are impacting you and the root cause of the injury. Gentle chiropractic adjustments may be used to address any misalignments in the spine and help restore a spinal disc to its proper positioning as well. Other techniques may include ultrasound, massage, and spinal decompression, as well as stretches and exercises to regain strength and range of motion.
If you were recently in a car accident and have a herniated disc or whiplash injury then the car accident doctors at AICA Orthopedics can help. With multiple locations available across metro Atlanta, you can find an excellent chiropractor near you to provide quality treatment for whiplash.
