If you’ve ever experienced a car crash, sports injury, or any accident involving a brute, sudden force, then you’ve most likely experienced a bout of whiplash to some extent. Best defined as a cluster of symptoms arising in the head and neck after experiencing sudden and severe back-and-forth or side-to-side jerking movements, it’s no secret that this condition can cause quite some concern.
Throughout a whiplash case, someone involved will experience injuries in the tissues, nerves, and bones in the cervical spine area. Seeing that such a problem can result in permanent damage or disability if left unaddressed or handled wrongly, adequate procedures must be given immediately.
While it may be easy to assume that whiplash is a problem that must be promptly acted on, acting on the issue at hand is an entirely different story. Thankfully, you can prevent yourself from mistakenly compromising your life quality by watching out for tell-tale signs that will help determine whether or not you suffer from the condition.
A few signs to watch out for
Because the cervical spine is the thinnest area of the spinal region and is susceptible to injury, it’s difficult to tell if you have something menial like light bruising or full-on whiplash. If you suspect that you’re currently experiencing a bout of whiplash that needs to be cared for right away, here are a few signs that will confirm your suspicions:
Sign #1: Your ears constantly ring
One of the most prominent whiplash signs that can’t be ignored because of its unfamiliarity is a constant ringing sound in the ears similar to that experienced with tinnitus.
When your ears ring after a sudden jolt of force in an accident or any similar situation, it is crucial to understand that such problems may be linked to an injured brain, nerves, or veins. If you’re having a hard time concentrating or hearing because of how resounding the ringing is getting, then you may have a severe form of whiplash that must be cared for quickly.
Sign #2: You can’t turn your head
Although many of us are familiar with the feeling of a stiff neck, the level of stiffness from a bout of whiplash is on a different level that may even be considered as debilitating.
Rooted in the hyperextension of the muscles, ligaments, or tendons in the neck region, being unable to turn your head is a severe problem associated with whiplash that needs to be assessed right away. In more severe cases, even a centimeter of a turn is excruciating when the impact becomes so intense that it herniates or misaligns soft, cushioning vertebral discs in the neck region!
Sign #3: It hurts to eat or swallow
Unlike a regular stiff neck that only constrains movement, whiplash can also make it significantly challenging to eat and swallow because it affects the jaw.
During an accident, the sequence of events and the force experienced in them can throw the jaw out of alignment and strain the soft tissues that help them open and close. Fortunately, this problem can be assessed and cared for promptly with an effective remedy by letting our experts at Go West Michigan Chiropractic take over!
Conclusion
Dealing with whiplash is never a comfortable experience because of all the different issues and complexities that arise, especially when it comes to figuring out if you’re experiencing it. Yet, through this guide’s help, you won’t have to carelessly prolong your pain or risk permanently damaging the different areas of your neck!
Are you looking for a chiropractor in Kalamazoo, MI, who can help you fix any underlying issues from whiplash? Get in touch with us today to schedule an appointment with our best chiropractor at your earliest convenience!