Whiplash and Its Effects on the Body

Florida drivers who suffer from whiplash in Naples due to a car accident often suffer injuries that are so individualized to each one’s own situation that there is no general or standardized treatment. Chiropractic doctors must evaluate incidents of whiplash injuries on a case by case basis. An initial chiropractic exam is necessary to appropriately evaluate and diagnose the injury, and then suggest methods of treatment and therapy.

A technical definition of whiplash that Naples chiropractors will likely use refers to the incapacity of one or more of the joints that connect vertebrae in the spine. Chiropractors evaluate the condition by gently manipulating the joint in various directions in order to gauge its capacity for functional movement. When a joint is not functioning properly, its full range of motion can be dramatically affected and it usually will become painful as well.

Joint dysfunction can also create a vicious cycle of pain that begins when the damaged joints sends abnormal signals to the nervous system. Muscles that are connected to the joint receive the signals and become tense or lax. The difference in muscle function then replays back to the joint, increasing the amount of stress that is put upon the joint so that the initial dysfunction is further aggravated. More abnormal signals are sent, and the spiral of pain continues.

The areas where connected muscles respond to abnormal signals from joints that have suffered whiplash are called trigger points. They can become so tense and constricted over time that they actually calcify. Or, they can become lax and over time give over to the complete atrophy of the muscle itself. Both symptoms can be the source of intense pain and debilitating. Whiplash pain in trigger points can collect toxins and send its own abnormal signals into the nervous system, which in turn causes a failure in the body’s ability to regulate muscles in other parts of the body. This can result in muscle spasms as well as deferred pain. The condition of the failure of the nervous system to regulate muscles correctly is referred to as “faulty movement patterns” by chiropractic professionals.

Faulty movement patterns can create greater strain through the entire body, exacerbating further neck and back pain and creating instability, which is usually expressed as an incapacity to perform even simple functions due to pain.

Chiropractic doctors can diagnose and treat whiplash in Naples through various non-surgical methods, and given the extreme difficulties that can arise from the condition if left untreated over time, it is critical to seek help as soon as possible.