Whiplash and Neck Pain After a Crash

Quick answer: Whiplash is a soft tissue injury to the neck, also called neck sprain or strain, and car accidents are a common cause of neck pain. MedlinePlus says treatment “depends on the cause” and that you “rarely need surgery.” After a crash in Sunnyvale or anywhere else, get emergency care first for a head injury with confusion, or a neck injury with loss of feeling or trouble moving. Otherwise, get your neck examined, because neck pain can come from more than one place.

What is whiplash?

The National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus says falls or accidents, “including car accidents,” are a common cause of neck pain, and describes whiplash as “a soft tissue injury to the neck.” You may also hear it called a neck sprain or strain. Those are different words for the same kind of injury, so do not worry if your paperwork and your doctor use different ones.

Is all neck pain after a crash whiplash?

Not necessarily. MedlinePlus says any part of your neck can cause neck problems: “muscles, bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, or nerves.” Pain may also come from your shoulder, jaw, head or upper arms. And plenty of neck pain has nothing to do with a crash, since muscle strain from sitting at a computer for too long is a common cause on its own.

So tell Dr. Tony if your neck bothered you before the crash, and do not assume you know what is hurting. That is what the exam is for.

Which symptoms mean call 911 or go to the ER?

This comes from MedlinePlus’s guide to when to use the emergency room:

What you notice	What MedlinePlus says to do
Head injury with passing out, fainting or confusion	Call 911
Injury to neck or spine, particularly with loss of feeling or inability to move	Call 911
Suddenly not able to speak, see, walk or move	Call 911
Suddenly weak or drooping on one side of the body	Call 911
Unusual or bad headache, particularly if it started suddenly	Go to an emergency department or call 911
Dizziness or weakness that does not go away	Go to an emergency department or call 911
Severe pain anywhere on the body	Go to an emergency department or call 911
Not sure, and none of the above	Call or contact a provider and describe your symptoms

Chiropractic care comes after serious injury has been ruled out. If you are in doubt, go to the ER first. There is no chiropractic reason to wait.

Can symptoms show up days later?

Some can. MedlinePlus says that symptoms of a concussion “may not start right away; they may start days or weeks after the injury,” and it lists headache or neck pain among them, along with nausea, ringing in your ears, dizziness or tiredness. It says to consult your health care professional if any of your symptoms get worse.

That matters for a neck that starts hurting a few days after a crash. It also matters for your paperwork, because the California SR-1 report has a 10-day deadline that does not wait for symptoms. Tell Dr. Tony if you hit your head or felt dazed, even if you felt fine afterward.

How is whiplash treated?

MedlinePlus says treatment depends on the cause, “but may include applying ice, taking pain relievers, getting physical therapy or wearing a cervical collar. You rarely need surgery.”

What about chiropractic care? The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says spinal manipulation “can be helpful for acute neck pain.” It also says the results should be read with caution, because the evidence is small and the studies varied. Read what the research says about spinal manipulation for the fuller picture.

At our office, the plan comes from your exam. For whiplash that often starts with gentle manual spinal manipulation, easing the neck toward normal motion without forcing anything. See car accident and whiplash care for what the first visit looks like.

Is neck manipulation safe?

You should hear this part plainly. NCCIH says mild-to-moderate side effects, most commonly increased pain or discomfort, stiffness or headache, often occur after spinal manipulation, and that most go away within 24 hours. It says serious side effects are “very rare, and there are no accurate estimates of how often they occur.”

NCCIH also says a type of manipulation that focuses on the neck has been linked to small tears in the artery walls of the neck, which are rare but can lead to a stroke. It notes that any sudden neck movement, including getting whiplash, may also increase the risk of those tears, and that there is disagreement about whether manipulation can actually cause them. It says patients need to be informed of this potential risk. Consider this that information, and ask Dr. Tony about it before your first adjustment.

What should I write down before my visit?

A short list helps more than people expect, because the details fade quickly:

• When the crash happened, and how: rear-ended, side impact, speed if you know it.
• Where your head was turned, and whether you hit anything.
• What hurts now, and when each symptom started.
• Any neck or back trouble you had before.
• Your medications and health conditions.

Then bring a photo ID, your auto insurance information, the accident or police report if you have it, and your attorney’s information if you have one.

Why choose Tropea Chiropractic for whiplash in Sunnyvale?

Dr. Tony Tropea treats whiplash and other accident injuries at 182 S Murphy Ave in downtown Sunnyvale. Most accident patients are seen the same day, no referral is needed, and the office serves patients in English and Spanish. He also sees patients from Mountain View and Cupertino.

“I came in after an accident that left me in pain and honestly scared, especially since I had never been adjusted before,” wrote Dominique Wainwright in a Google review.

If who pays is on your mind, read what MedPay is and when it pays. Coverage varies by policy and case. Call (408) 329-9604.