It can be hard to know if you're suffering from whiplash. General neck pain and muscle soreness is something we are often taught to ignore or “push through”, so many cases of whiplash are never properly diagnosed. There are, however, symptoms and behaviors you can take notice of that might signal potential whiplash.

First, assess what physically challenging or jarring activities you've been involved in recently. Most cases of whiplash are caused by car accidents, such as an unexpected, sharp turn, or a car accident. There are many instances that people might not expect to get whiplash, but still do. Roller-coasters cause at least a handful of whiplash cases each day, for example, and more than one person has seriously injured themselves on bumper cars. Getting hit in the head with a ball while playing a sport, or falling from a horse while riding are also examples of sports-related whiplash.

Next, start tracking where you feel the pain, when, and what you were doing when the pain flared. After only a few days, you'll be able to look back and notice certain correlating details between actions, time, and location of pain.

The symptoms of whiplash that you'll want to look out for. Neck pain and muscular stiffness are the most obvious symptoms, and will be felt throughout the day. You may also notice a pounding, persistent headache, or a headache that only appears if you strain your neck, shoulders, and/or spine. You may also experience ringing in your ears, weakness in your arms, and jaw pain and/or stiffness. If these symptoms last longer than a week or two, please visit your Noblesville chiropractor – these may be signs of long-term physical complications.

Please note that, after assessing yourself, you should always head to your family doctor and/or a qualified chiropractor in order to verifying your whiplash. They can help you form a healing strategy, and get you on the path to better health as soon as possible. Noblesville chiropractor Dr. Dahlager specializes in alleviating neck pain caused by whiplash, sports injuries, or car accident injuries. He uses non-invasive treatments like chiropractic care and exercise to safely and effectively relieve neck pain and headache. Call your Noblesville chiropractor to get out of pain today.