How Does a Chiropractor Diagnose a Whiplash Injury?

Whiplash is one of the most common injury types to occur after an auto accident. This is due to the rapid forward and then backward thrust that results after the impact of an auto accident. While seat belts do save lives and we should be grateful for them, all too often they can cause injury to the spine, back, and neck.

How Our Birmingham Chiropractor Diagnosis Whiplash

There are a few different core injuries at the root of whiplash, and each case is different. As such, each whiplash client will be treated as a unique case by your Birmingham chiropractor and appropriate measures will be taken to address the heart of the problem. What’s appropriate for one client may not be appropriate for another. The following are some of the techniques and methods your Birmingham chiropractor will use to assess and diagnose a whiplash injury: 

Complete Patient History - Awareness of a client’s past injuries can lend insight into how the case of whiplash might affect them and where their vulnerabilities are. Family history and pre-existing conditions can be assessed.

Full Physical Exam - From there, the patient’s physical health will be assessed from top to bottom. The spine will be examined for subluxations and imbalances to look for the potential source of whiplash or other spinal injuries.

The physical exam for whiplash will include:

• Palpating the affected and related areas
• Checking the posture
• Assessing range of motion
• Assessing pain level and type
• Check reflexes
• Assess muscle power and sensation

Diagnostic Imaging - If a fracture is suspected, diagnostic imaging can lend some insight. This can take the form of X-rays (radiographs), an MRI, CT scan or bone scan. Diagnostics can also be effective if there are suspected neurological problems.

Asking Key Questions - Key questions about the injury will also yield insights into the nature of the whiplash injury and how best to proceed. These questions may include:

• What exactly happened during the auto accident or incident that caused the injury?
• Have you ever had whiplash before?
• When exactly did the symptoms start in relation to the accident?
• What is the nature and degree of the pain now?
• Does it radiate to other areas?
   

The most effective tool in the chiropractor’s arsenal is spinal manipulation. This allows for the rebalancing of the spine, addressing subluxation and restoring balance and harmony to the back. The pain and discomfort of whiplash are usually due to an imbalance, and targeted spinal manipulation can get you out of pain and on the road to healing quickly and efficiently.
 

Contact Our Local Chiropractor to Treat Your Whiplash Injury

Birmingham chiropractor Back On Track Chiropractic can assist you in receiving an accurate diagnosis of your whiplash injury so that an appropriate treatment plan can be created and implemented. Birmingham chiropractor Scott Duca is highly experienced in treating a range of back and spine issues, contact us for an appointment today.