The Ins and Outs of Whiplash

Did you know that you don't need to be in a moving vehicle in order to suffer whiplash? Of course, you don't. Whiplash can occur when your vehicle is struck from behind at only 5 MPH. Did you know that you don't even have to be in a vehicle in order to experience whiplash? That's right.

So, what is it, and how does it happen? Well, your neck is only meant to extend itself so far in either direction. When you overextend your neck in any one of those directions, you strain your neck by stretching and tearing your neck's muscles and tendons.

Now, avoiding getting hit by that vehicle behind you is difficult enough, but avoiding a scenario that might cause whiplash away from a car is a little more difficult. That's because most people don't know what types of circumstances might put them at risk of whiplash.

So, we thought we'd list some of those activities people take part in that may cause whiplash. Then, you can take better care to not get into situations in which you compromise the health of your neck.

Activities that Cause Whiplash

• Contact sports (Boxing, Football, Rugby, etc)
• Falling
• Assault
• Sudden turns or changes in direction
• Roller Coaster
• Bicycle accidents
• Holding the phone between your neck and shoulder
• Shaken Baby Syndrome

Aligning your Spine after Whiplash

Now that you know what activities can cause whiplash, you can take precautions to avoid putting yourself (or in the case of shaken baby syndrome, your child) in situations that put you at risk of straining your neck. The good news is if you or your child do experience whiplash because of one of these factors you can do something about it.
Right now, you can begin to alleviate that pain by seeking out the care of an upper cervical chiropractor. They will examine your upper neck vertebrae for any misalignments in your spine's top two vertebrae that may be the cause of your pain. Then, they will make any necessary correction to help you go through the healing process.

To find a Doctor in your area go to www.NUCCA.org or if you are in the Sacramento California area schedule a consultation by clicking the button below:

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Dr. Donald Erwin of Body Balance Spinal Care in Sacramento, California is an Upper Cervical Chiropractor trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA).Over the past 21 years, Dr. Erwin has helped many people find natural relief in Sacramento, California. His upper cervical clinic also serves the communities of Elk Grove, Roseville, Yuba City, Davis and Placerville. He is uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraine headaches, fibromyalgia, sciatica, digestive disorders and auto injuries. More information can be found on his website at https://www.donerwindc.com/