Q: What are the stages of recovery from whiplash
injury?
A: The recovery phase proceeds in a natural sequence. The first
stage of recovery is to relieve your pain, and support or protect
the injured area. Treatment then shifts to restoring normal movement
and position of the spinal vertebrae, and healing the injured
muscles and ligaments as completely as possible. Attention to the
soft tissues is critical to insure that the affected nerves heal
properly.
As the recovery phase proceeds, the treatment frequency usually
decreases. Nevertheless, your chiropractor will continue to monitor
the healing process for evidence of full recovery, or, in some
cases, the development of chronic problems.
In the early stages of recovery it is difficult to know whether an
individual will again completely recover or develop chronic
problems. This is why you are likely to be under careful observation
for at least six months following a whiplash type injury.
Understanding your injury and properly treating it can be
complicated, but your chiropractor is well trained to help you. Make
it a point to consult your chiropractor as soon as possible after
any type of injury.
Q: How long will it take for me to recover from my whiplash injury?
A: It is nearly impossible to predict the length of treatment for
whiplash injury because there are so many variables involved. If the
whiplash is due to an automobile accident, the speed, direction, and
angle of the impact will affect the type and severity of an injury.
In order to assess the extent of your injuries, your chiropractor
might ask some of the following questions: Did you have time to
brace yourself for the impact? Were you wearing a seatbelt? Were you
wearing it properly? Where were you sitting in the car? Where did
the other car hit the car you were in? Can you recall how your
posture was at the moment of impact?
Some general considerations that also affect the length and speed of
your recovery are your age, general health, spinal health, desire to
get well, and length of time before seeking chiropractic care.
Source: (Iowa Chiropractic
Society)
