Helpful Treatments for Whiplash After an Auto Accident

Were you recently in a car accident and now experiencing neck pain? You probably have a whiplash injury — a soft tissue injury affecting the muscles and tissues in your neck. 

Over 1.2 million people sustain whiplash injuries every year in the United States. Caused by a forcible jerking motion, these injuries are common in auto accidents but can happen during contact sports, too. 

Neck pain isn’t the only symptom. Depending on its severity and the affected tissues, your whiplash injury might also result in:

• Neck stiffness
• Shoulder pain
• Dizziness
• Arm or hand pain or numbness
• Ear ringing
• Sleeplessness
• Irritability

After a suspected whiplash injury, Steven Gentry, DC, Jeffrey Oppenheimer, MD, and the ChiroCare Therapy team in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, can provide a detailed injury evaluation. Rather than masking your symptoms with risky prescription pain relievers, they focus on hands-on and integrative care to promote healing. 

You can rely on ChiroCare Therapy to provide the latest evidence-based treatments and procedures for your whiplash injury. Here are five top treatment choices for whiplash after an auto accident:

1. Orthobiologics

Our office specializes in using orthobiologics, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cell therapy, to accelerate healing for ligament injuries and others involved in whiplash. 

Orthobiologics are unique because they employ and promote vital healing factors that naturally exist inside your body. 

In the case of PRP, we collect a blood sample before the treatment and process it to create the rejuvenating substance. Then, we inject PRP into the affected tissues to increase growth factors in the area and help with healing. 

2. Massage therapy

You might think of massage therapy as an opportunity to relax and loosen tight muscles, but did you know it can improve pain from whiplash, too? Some massage therapies, like deep tissue massages, use firm pressure to alleviate soreness and promote circulation in targeted tissues. 

Myofascial release is another massage therapy that can break down scar tissue to improve your neck’s mobility. 

3. Physical therapy

Physical therapy is beneficial for injury recovery and rehabilitation. Physical therapy at ChiroCare Therapy involves various methods and modalities to alleviate discomfort, stiffness, numbness, and other symptoms resulting from your whiplash injury. 

Physical therapists utilize beneficial exercises to reduce neck pain and recover function. We might use assistance from:

• Ultrasound technology
• Cold lasers
• Shockwave therapy
• Electrical muscle stimulation

These options stimulate your tissues to increase circulation in your neck and promote new tissue growth. 

4. IV therapy

Intravenous (IV)  therapy offers many wellness benefits based on the nutrients included in your drip. IV therapy is an excellent choice for alleviating neck pain, back pain, and muscle spasms when paired with other integrative treatments like massage therapy or physical therapy. The treatment hydrates you instantly and offers anti-inflammatory benefits. 

5. Peptide therapy

Our experts also specialize in peptide therapy, which uses short chains of natural amino acids for therapeutic benefits. They’re the building blocks of proteins throughout your body and can promote healing in damaged tissues, such as in the case of whiplash. Peptides like nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) promote healing by reducing inflammation, increasing your energy, and supporting pain management. 

Do you have a suspected or diagnosed whiplash injury? Call ChiroCare Therapy or book an appointment online for personalized integrative treatment today.