Whiplash occurs when the head is suddenly and violently thrust forward and back, causing the neck’s soft tissues to become strained or sprained. It’s often a response to a rear-ended collision; however, whiplash can affect you after other accidents and events as well, such as a sporting accident or slip and fall.
Common whiplash symptoms include:
- Neck pain ranging from aching to electric shock sensation
- Radiating pain from the neck into the shoulders
- Headaches and dizziness
- Low back pain
- Neck stiffness and loss of range of motion
- Weakness in arms and legs
- And others
Even simple tasks like getting dressed can become difficult without your neck's full function, so getting the care you need to ensure your body is safe should be a priority. Your local chiropractor can help determine the cause of your symptoms and design a healing program that treats your whiplash injury.
If you’re currently suffering from whiplash and want effective but natural solutions without relying on medication, we have some at-home whiplash remedies to help you find comfort until you get to the chiropractor.
Tips to Relieve Whiplash Pain Safely
Whiplash ranges in severity and can significantly compromise your daily routine if not taken care of. From turning your head to working out to sitting at your desk, your activities can become limited, making it difficult to focus on anything but your discomfort. These three tips may benefit you.
Apply ice and heat
When your soft tissues are damaged, they typically become inflamed, reducing mobility, flexibility, and proper function, often leading to pain. Applying ice to the injured area will help control swelling and inflammation by decreasing circulation.
Ice should be used as soon as possible after your accident for best results. Apply for 15 to 20 minutes per session, three times per day for the first two to three days.
After the swelling has been managed, adding heat will promote the healthy flow of blood, nutrients, and oxygen to the injury. This removes pressure and stress placed upon the tissues and encourages relaxation and soothing properties.
Add heat to the treatment plan in 15 to 20-minute sessions three times a day.
Ice and heat promote the body’s natural healing process by restoring proper movement patterns and reducing discomfort associated with your whiplash injury.
Gentle stretching
Stretching your neck, back, and shoulders will help remove tension in the neck muscles, which can affect the neck’s range of motion. Specific stretches can improve relaxation and contribute to strengthening the muscles so you get better faster.
Try these stretches:
- Carefully turn your head from side to side and up and down
- Move your ear down toward your shoulder
- Shrug your shoulders
- Cat cow to work the spine (part of the spine is in the neck)
Remember, you have to listen to your body, so if it hurts, stop. Stretching should offer you relief, not heighten your pain. A few gentle stretches before bed and during long periods of inactivity can help reduce spasms and cramps as healing is promoted.
Rest the neck
This may seem easy, but unless your neck is in pain, you likely don’t realize how much you depend on it for movements. Your neck almost always supports your head, and you can’t always rest your head to give your neck a break.
These tips can help give your neck some rest:
- Use a U pillow while sitting up
- When driving, ensure your headrest is correctly aligned with your head
- Use the correct pillow at night, keeping your spine balanced (not too soft, not too hard)
- When you can, allow your head to rest against something so your neck can rest too (the back of the chair or sofa, on your hands, etc.)
These little breaks will help give your neck valuable time to recover and restore. Rest is essential to healing, so get good quality (and quantity) sleep, too.
Visit Our Golden Valley Chiropractic Clinic for Whiplash Solutions
Our Golden Valley whiplash chiropractors are dedicated to your successful recovery. We know safe, non-invasive solutions are important to you, and we have them.
Common chiropractic whiplash solutions we use include:
We’ll use soft tissue treatments, spinal manipulation, and corrective exercise to ensure you get the care you need to improve quickly and responsibly. Don’t let your whiplash symptoms hinder your lifestyle.
Schedule your appointment today for treatment that will give you lasting results.
