Self-Protection Against Whiplash
Adjusting your headrest to the correct position can go a long way to preventing whiplash. Although it will not eradicate the risk entirely, it is something you should do to ensure the extent of your injury is reduced (if not altogether avoided) should you ever be involved in a road traffic accident.
How to adjust your head restraint
To understand why a correctly positioned headrest is so important, it is necessary to comprehend how a whiplash injury occurs. The most common source of whiplash is a rear-end shunt. This is when your car is hit from behind by another vehicle, causing your head to be violently forced back and forth. As your head makes this rapid whipping action, your neck will be stretched beyond its normal range of movement – this is called hyperextension. The result will be soft-tissue damage to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
However, if you have your headrest in the correct position, your head will be prevented from being thrown backward. In turn, your neck will not be subject to such an extreme motion, reducing the degree of hyperextension. It may seem like a very simple step, but it can significantly improve your personal safety, possibly even preventing a serious, long-term whiplash injury.
So how exactly do you adjust your headrest?
You should:-
Ensure the top of the head restraint is the same level as the top of your head; Position the head restraint as close to your head as possible. It is also crucial that your headrest is locked into position, as this will ensure it will not move if you are involved in a traumatic collision.
What to do if you have already suffered whiplash
If you have already been unfortunate enough to suffer a whiplash injury, you should still take the time to adjust your headrest according to the guidelines set out above. This will help prevent or reduce the level of injury should you be unlucky enough to be involved in another road traffic accident.
Once you have corrected your headrest, your next step should be to establish who was to blame for your accident. Did your actions cause your road traffic collision? Or was another party – such as another driver – to blame? If it was the latter, you must contact a solicitor without delay. This is because anyone who has suffered whiplash through no fault of their own will be entitled to make a claim. If successful, you will be awarded compensation for the damages you have incurred.
A car accident chiropractor is one person that you should see if you currently have whiplash. These people have been trained to help alleviate the pain that associated with this problem. Each person will have their preference to how to work with your pain. You will find that a provider might select one or all of the standard techniques used to help.
Expect spinal manipulation to be a part of the process. This is what car accident doctor are known for car accident treatment. They do this all the time for back and neck pain. The goal is to get your joints to move. The process involves physically moving it where it might be restricted. It could occur through a quick thrust or a slow movement that helps to mobilize the joint.
Prepare for muscle relaxation and stimulation techniques. These play a key role in the relief of whiplash symptoms. When the muscles become tight, they become painful. This stimulation will loosen them up through stretching. The provider can use any number of techniques to help stretch out those muscles.
Exercising the area is an important aspect of caring for it and reducing pain. The goal is to get the discs aligned up properly and to help you avoid moving incorrectly. Many exercises are used by Southern Nevada Chiropractic to do both of these jobs. Your provider will work with you to establish a routine that you will eventually be doing at home as a part of your self-care.
Unfortunately, whiplash may result in necessary lifestyle changes, and this is one aspect that chiropractors will tackle with their patients. They will likely look at your work life as well your home life to see what you do that could impair the relief you are seeking. They will work to develop a plan to alter those things and help you achieve the goals you have set.
Whiplash is miserable and prevents you from doing the things you normally do. You have pain and limited movement. You need to feel relief, and that is common. A chiropractor can help you regain the assistance you need.