Whiplash Injury

What are the Symptoms of Whiplash?

You generally will have symptoms within 24 hours of your whiplash injury. However, some patients find that whiplash symptom develop after a few days and may last weeks or even months.

Common symptoms of a whiplash injury include:

• neck pain and stiffness

• headaches, especially at the base of the skull

• dizziness

• blurred vision

• constant weariness or fatigue

Less common symptoms associated with long-term chronic whiplash injury include:

• problems with concentration and memory

• ringing in the ears

• inability to sleep well

• irritability

• chronic pain in the neck, shoulders or head

Even if you have mild symptoms, a whiplash injury of any kind, especially after a car accident can create a misalignment in your spine so seeing your chiropractic doctor for a full assessment of your spine is recommended. A small misalignment will only get worse over time so getting chiropractic treatment early will mean you recover faster and may prevent health problems in the future.

What Causes Whiplash?

Whiplash occurs when the muscles in your neck suffer a strain because of a rapid movement backward and then forward. The sudden motion causes your neck tendons and ligaments to stretch and tear, resulting in whiplash injury.

Whiplash can occur from a number of activities. The most common causes of whiplash injury are:

• car accidents

• physical abuse (being punched or shaken)

• contact sports that involve tackling or physical contact (such as football, boxing, and karate)

• horseback riding

• cycling accidents

• falls in which the head violently jerks backward

• blows to the head with a heavy object

How is Whiplash Injury Diagnosed?

Your Chiropractic Doctor will normally ask you certain questions about your whiplash injury, such as how it occurred, and the nature of your symptoms. They will also conduct a physical examination to check your range of motion and look for areas of tenderness. Your Chiropractic Doctor might order an X-ray to ensure your whiplash injury isn't connected to any other type of injury or degenerative disease like arthritis. Other tests, such as CT scans and MRI scans may also be used to determine any damage or inflammation in the soft tissues, spinal cord, or nerves.

How Can Chiropractic Care Relieve Whiplash Injury?

At JP Chiropractic West Ashley Charleston, we use physical therapy and structural chiropractic (SC) to treat your Whiplash injury. This is a scientific approach to spinal realignment and pain relief. SC is the most researched chiropractic technique in the world which aims to restore the normal curvature of the neck and spine leading to healthier posture and allowing the spine to function at its best.

If you have Whiplash Injury or have recently been in a car accident, then contact our friendly clinic at JP Chiropractic West Ashley Charleston to book in for an appointment immediately.


​​​​​​​Location: We treat the following areas: West Ashley SC, North Charleston SC, John's Island SC, Ravenal SC, and Charleston SC. If you are located nearby in one of those areas contact us to help you with your auto accident injury, pain, sports injury, prenatal pain, poor posture, etc