Whiplash Treatments In Virginia, Maryland & Washington D.C

Whiplash is the forceful back and forth movement of the neck, both quickly and painfully. This is the motion you make when you nod your head yes, except it is exaggerated and forceful. A rear-end collision can cause this action, and because the force of a vehicle is considerable, the damage can range anywhere from mild soreness to chronic pain. Symptoms may include pain in the neck, loss of range of motion, or tenderness when moving your head forward and back or side to side.

Causes of Whiplash

The most common cause of whiplash is rear-end collisions, but any harsh motion that causes the head to snap forcibly forward then back can also cause the same result. For example, sports like karate can cause whiplash symptoms if a person sustains a kick or punch to the face that causesthe head to snap back. This can also happen to individuals who play contact sports, like football.

Treating Whiplash with Chiropractic Care

When you work with the RxWellness Spine & Health chiropractic team, they will create a plan to heal the root cause of the problem. If you arrive with symptoms of whiplash, your recovery plan may include flexion-distraction technique, instrument assisted manipulations, and specific spinal manipulation. Your RxWellness chiropractor may also recommend routine adjustments for a set period of time to manage symptoms and improve recovery. When you work with an RxWellness chiropractor, you will also have the opportunity to work a qualified massage therapist. The massage therapist will work on the muscles in the affected area to relieve any stiffness or tightness and improve flexibility. Whiplash is typically characterized by misalignment to the upper cervical spine and bruising or trauma to the muscles, so your integrated medical team will administer a care plan that addresses both areas.

Treating Whiplash with Regenerative Tissue Therapy

If you’ve had chronic pain from a car accident injury lasting for several years, Regenerative treatments may be the solution. Regenerative medicine is a branch of treatment that prioritizes tissue replacement to symptom management. This means that instead of prescribing medication to relieve pain, the medical expert can speed up healing by introducing specialized cells to the injured area. The two types of regenerative tissue therapy offered at RxWellness Spine & Health are Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP) and Trigger Point Injections. PRP therapy is a process that effectively improves the body’s healing process by introducing additional growth factors at the injury site. Trigger Point Injections are a non-surgical treatment to relieve pain and relax knotted muscle tissue. After the injection blood flow will improve allowing the body to heal itself. You will have the opportunity to discuss your condition with our integrated medical team, and they can recommend the option best suited for your particular condition.

Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy

PRP therapy is a natural and effective treatment for a variety of conditions, and because the process uses the body’s own cells there is a low chance of rejection or complications. When you are injured, the blood naturally clots to stop bleeding and the affected area is flooded with cells, like growth factors, that trigger an intense healing response. PRP therapy exposes the area to an even higher concentration of the growth factors that the body already produces to speed up recovery. This is done by extracting the patient’s blood, running it through the centrifugal process to isolate the growth factors, and then reinserting the concentrated dose into the injury site. This treatment is completely natural and is simply improving a healing process, which the body already does naturally. This treatment is ideal for conditions that would normally heal on their own, with the added benefit of a reduced timeline. The PRP process can be summed up in the following steps:

• Draw the patient’s blood.
• Spin the blood in a centrifuge.
• Separate components of the blood, and isolate the platelets.
• Reinsert the platelet-rich blood into the patient at the site of pain or injury.

Trigger Point Injections

Trigger Point Injections are a non-surgical treatment to relieve pain and relax knotted muscle tissue. After the injection blood flow will improve allowing the body to heal itself. The purpose of this process is to create the right circumstance for optimal tissue reconstruction. It breaks down and heals built up scar tissue.

Set Up Your Consultation

Whiplash can be a very painful injury, and if gone untreated, it could leave you learning to live with pain for the rest of your life. Schedule your consultation with the RxWellness Spine & Health integrated medical team and let us help you make a full recovery. If you have any questions or would like to set up a consultation please give us a call at (703) 904-9666 or book a consultation online.