Whiplash injury is
one of the most common injuries suffered from a motor vehicle accident. Whiplash is an injury to the soft tissue of the neck, also referred to as neck sprain or neck strain. It is often caused by a sudden forceful movement of the neck, but with no direct contact to the neck. It may include injury to the joints, discs, ligaments, cervical muscles, and nerve roots. Acupuncture is one possible treatment for this type of injury.
Hyperextension of the neck upon impact results in a number of capillaries and tissue
fibers being broken, which, if left alone, can cause scar tissue development. In many cases, abnormalities cannot be viewed upon x-ray, and there is no visible injury. As a result, the seriousness of an injury is often initially overlooked.
|
 | Symptoms of Whiplash |
People who experience whiplash may report experiencing one or more symptoms. Symptoms can occur immediately after the accident, or may appear several days or even weeks
later.
Common symptoms:
|
Neck / Shoulder pain and stiffness |
|
Headaches |
|
Low back pain |
|
Sensations such as burning |
| "pins and needles" |
| Irritability |
| Poor sleep |
| Fatigue |
| Difficulty with concentration |
| Depression |
| Dizziness |
| Light-headedness |
| Pain or numbness in the arm and/or hand |
| Ringing in the ears |
| Blurred vision |
|
Acupuncture works by stimulating the body's own healing abilities. The fine hair-thin needles do not inject anything into the body. Instead, the healing chemistry of the body is augmented, directed, and generally made more competent to manage health problems. Acupuncture is safe because it relies on the androgenous
(an-drog-ge-nes) body chemistry. As a result, the side effects that one commonly encounters when taking drugs are not produced. Modern medical research is only beginning to unravel the biochemical pathways which acupuncture employs. Enough practical experience and knowledge of acupuncture's benefits has accumulated, however, that now several leading medical centers routinely offer it, particularly in the treatment of chronic pain. The Mayo Clinic has had an acupuncture service since 1975, and the World Health Organization of the United Nations currently lists 47 different illnesses that may be effectively treated with acupuncture. Although part of a system of traditional healthcare for body and mind which dates back three thousand years, acupuncture today is at the forefront of modern medical research and practice.
For a complete consultation, please
call us at 704.968.0351.
|
