Whiplash Treatment in Valley Stream, NY
When you have been in a vehicle accident, it can cause you to suffer from whiplash. If you have this car accident injury, see a chiropractor for treatment. This auto accident injury can continue causing you pain for several weeks, so you need to get treatment to help relieve the symptoms of it. When you need a chiropractor for your whiplash, call our Valley Stream, NY, practice to make your appointment. You may need to get imaging of the area to determine the scope of it. This can be an X-ray to rule out small fractures. We at Valley Stream Chiropractic are here to help.
Whiplash Symptoms
Whiplash can cause your neck to be stiff and painful. However, you may also have pain in other areas of your body. This auto accident injury can also cause pain in the shoulders as well as headaches and arm pain. You may find that your arms tingle, are numb, or have become painful. Tinnitus, a ringing sound in the ears, can also be caused by this car accident injury. Some patients also experience vision problems. You might feel dizzy or have a lot of trouble sleeping. It can also cause trouble with concentration and memory problems. When you have these symptoms, see a chiropractor to treat them. Don’t continue living in pain when there are ways to relieve it.
After a car accident, women are more likely to suffer from whiplash, though men can get it as well. If the patient is over 40, there is an increased risk of developing whiplash. The condition may last for a few days up to a few weeks, and it can impact all of your daily activities.
What Causes Whiplash?
When there is a car accident, your neck will rapidly go in one direction and then quickly go in another. When this happens, the neck tissues, such as the muscles, get stretched too far. When all of this rapid head motion happens, it can hurt the neck. This condition can be assessed by a chiropractor.
How We Can Help
We can help treat whiplash by providing chiropractic adjustments, massage therapy, exercises, lifestyle advice, and more. Our chiropractic care can help reduce pain and promote healing so that you can get back to your life without having to worry.
Get Help for Whiplash
If you have the symptoms of whiplash, don’t wait to get treatment for your car accident injury. Give us a call at (516) 791-6421 for Valley Stream Chiropractic in Valley Stream, NY, office to make your appointment for assessment and treatment. Don’t live in pain when a chiropractor can help with it.
How It Can Help
Reduce pain
Our chiropractic care can help reduce pain and promote healing.
A combined approach
We help treat whiplash with chiropractic adjustments, massage therapy, exercises, lifestyle advice, and more.
Assessment of the injury
You may need imaging of the area to determine the scope of it. This can be an X-ray to rule out small fractures.
Why Whiplash Should Not Be Brushed Off
Whiplash happens when the head is thrown quickly forward and back, stretching the muscles and ligaments of the neck beyond their normal range. It is most often linked to rear-end collisions, but it can also follow sports injuries or falls. Because symptoms may take a day or more to show up, people sometimes assume they escaped injury. Then stiffness, headaches or shoulder pain set in, and simple things like checking a blind spot become hard. Some people also notice fatigue, dizziness or trouble focusing. These symptoms are common after whiplash, and they deserve attention rather than waiting them out.
Most whiplash improves with time and appropriate care, but how you manage the first weeks matters. Keeping the neck completely still for long periods is no longer advised for most people, since gentle movement tends to support recovery. A proper assessment also helps rule out problems that need different treatment. Seek emergency care if you have severe neck pain with a headache that keeps worsening, numbness or weakness in the arms, trouble walking, confusion, or any loss of consciousness after the accident. Trouble swallowing or a neck that feels unstable also needs prompt medical attention.
What to Expect From Whiplash Treatment
Your chiropractor will ask how the injury happened, where you feel symptoms and whether they have changed since. The exam checks neck motion, strength, reflexes and sensation in your arms, along with the muscles around your shoulders and upper back. If there is any concern about a fracture or nerve involvement, imaging such as an X-ray is often ordered before hands-on treatment. This step helps make sure the care you receive is safe for your injury. Your chiropractor will explain what the exam shows, answer your questions and walk you through the plan before treatment begins.
Early treatment is usually gentle. It may include light adjustments or mobilization, soft tissue work and simple movements to keep the neck from locking up. As pain settles, exercises to rebuild strength and posture are added. Your chiropractor may also suggest changes to your pillow, desk setup or screen habits. Many people improve over a few weeks, while others need longer. Report any new arm symptoms, dizziness or worsening headaches between visits. Simple home care, such as heat or ice, gentle range-of-motion exercises and short breaks from screens, can also help you feel better between appointments.
New to the office? Read what to expect at your first visit, or book online.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the symptoms of whiplash?
Whiplash can cause your neck to be stiff and painful. It can also cause pain in the shoulders, headaches and arm pain, tingling or numbness in the arms, tinnitus, vision problems, dizziness, trouble sleeping, and trouble with concentration and memory.
What causes whiplash?
When there is a car accident, your neck will rapidly go in one direction and then quickly go in another. When this happens, the neck tissues, such as the muscles, get stretched too far.
How long does whiplash last?
The condition may last for a few days up to a few weeks, and it can impact all of your daily activities.
Should I wear a neck brace for whiplash?
For most whiplash injuries, a soft collar is not recommended for more than a short time, if at all. Holding the neck still for too long can lead to more stiffness and weaker muscles. Gentle, guided movement usually helps recovery. If a fracture or other serious injury is found, follow the instructions of the doctor managing that injury.
When is whiplash an emergency?
Go to an emergency room or call 911 if you lost consciousness, have a severe or worsening headache, feel confused or very drowsy, have numbness, tingling or weakness in your arms or legs, have trouble walking or speaking, or cannot move your neck at all. These signs can point to a more serious injury that needs medical care right away.
Terms You May Hear
- Cervical spine
- The seven vertebrae of the neck. Whiplash mainly affects the muscles, ligaments and joints in this area.
- Ligament sprain
- A stretch or tear of a ligament, the tough band that connects bones at a joint. Sprains in the neck are a common part of whiplash.
- Referred pain
- Pain felt in a different place from where the problem is. Neck injuries, for example, can cause headaches or pain in the shoulder and arm.
Related Services
Auto Injury FAQs
Answers to common questions about seeing a chiropractor after an auto accident, from Valley Stream Chiropractic in Valley Stream, NY.
Learn MoreMassage Therapy
Massage therapy is the manual manipulation of soft body tissues (muscle, connective tissue, tendons and ligaments) to enhance health and well-being.
Learn MoreSpinal Manipulation & Adjustment
Chiropractic adjustments at Valley Stream Chiropractic address vertebrae that are not moving or functioning properly, to reduce pain and improve range of motion and mobility.
Learn More
Schedule a Consultation Today
We will do our best to accommodate your busy schedule.