There are approximately 3 million whiplash injuries sustained in the U.S. every year. Many cases of whiplash are unreported or go untreated due to the seemingly minor low speed collision or minimal, or any, amount of damage to the involved vehicles. It is also estimated that 45% of people who suffer from chronic neck pain do so as a result of a previous whiplash injury.

It is very common, especially with low speed collisions, for there to be no pain immediately after the accident. Often it takes several days or longer for any pain to appear.

It is routine for auto accident patients to begin care weeks or months after the accident, despite what your insurance company may lead you to believe.

Whiplash can cause impingement, stretching, or irritation of the nerves and the spinal cord. Whiplash can also cause headaches, numbness, pins and needles in the face, chest, arms or hands, anxiety, neck pain, back pain, ringing in the ears, dizziness, hearing loss and/or blurred vision. The whiplash injury to the neck, or cervical sprain/strain, is by far the most common injury that results from a car accident.

Of all people that encounter a whiplash injury in a car crash, 62% to 98% complain of neck pain which usually begins anywhere from a few hours up to a few days after the accident. This is often the result of the tightened muscles that have reacted to the muscle tears or excessive movement of the joints in the head and neck.

Additionally, 66 to 70% of people suffering from whiplash complain of having headaches or migraines. These headaches, like the neck pain, are often the result of tightened, tensed muscles trying to keep the head stable.

The hidden dangers regarding whiplash injuries are that the symptoms can take years to surface. Most people do not seek out medical attention for a dull headache and will commonly wait to seek medical attention until further and more painful symptoms arise. Of these people that wait until much later to receive treatment, 45% report lingering pain from that car accident up to two years later.

Below is a list of the most common whiplash symptoms. If you experience any of these symptoms following a car accident see your chiropractor right away.
• Neck pain and/or stiffness
• Headache
• Nausea
• Blurred vision
• Low back pain or stiffness
• Difficulty swallowing
• Fatigue
• Numbness and tingling
• Dizziness
• Vertigo or confusion
• Pain between the shoulder blades
• Pain in the arms or legs, feet and hands
• Shoulder pain
• Ringing in the ears
• Pain in the jaw or face