Whiplash

Whiplash Injury in Helena

A neck strain is often called a whiplash injury. Whiplash injuries are common in car accidents and contact sports. Whiplash is caused from a sudden forward and backward motion of the neck. This fast forward and back motion puts strain on the ligaments, joints, and muscles in the neck. Whiplash can cause a segment of the neck to “stick” or “dislodge”. The most common misalignment we find is a top neck bone that is stuck forward.   Anything that whips your head forward and backward in a fast motion can cause a neck strain and a possible misalignment of the neck.

Damage to the car does not indicate the damage done to your neck. Sometimes, when a car crumbles in an accident this is what saves the person inside. Some cars are made to absorb impact and others are not. If the car doesn’t look crunched this could indicate that your neck is in bad shape. This happens because the car did not absorb the impact and the person inside did.We will take a detailed exam and history of your whiplash injury to find out exactly what occurred.

X-rays for whiplash

We will perform a detailed  exam and history. After your history and correlating exam we may recommend neck digital x-rays. Sometimes X-rays are not necessary. If X-rays are needed we will take digital X-rays in our office. We have an excellent quality digital X-ray machine if needed. We also have a Radiologist at Palmer College of Chiropractic that is on call to send your films to if a second opinion is needed.

Sometimes, in severe car accidents,  a Davis series of x-rays are utilized to rule out a torn neck ligament or a fracture in the neck. We often find fractures and torn ligaments that hospitals miss immediately after the accident. If this is the case we will refer you to an orthopedist.  If a radiology report is necessary, the report will take about 24 hours. We will give you a call to let you know when we get the report back.

Chiropractic care for Whiplash

We specialize in neck pain and neck strains at our office. Although we take care of complicated Helena Chiropractor cases, we also see routine “fender benders” in our office on a regular basis. If you chose to claim your accident with your car insurance company, we will do all the billing for you.

We also often co-manage patients with physical therapy in Helena. We see patients who are working with physical therapy and need to get their neck lined up. The PT work helps the muscles strengthen the correct way. If a person’s neck is not holding the correct position, we refer to physical therapy to get the neck muscles strengthened.

However, for the most effective care, the neck needs to be checked for a misalignment, before muscle strengthening is utilized. We strive to strengthen the correct muscles so that your body will hold an ideal neck position for a healthy future. If you are curious how specific chiropractic care can help you recover, call our team at Balanced Chiropractic, PC to learn more.