Tag Archives: acupuncture for whiplash
Acupuncture vs Pain Killers
Even a minor collision can have major effects on your health! When one vehicle is struck by another, thousands of pounds of force are exerted on the neck and spine. Whiplash occurs when the head and neck are thrown or “snapped” back and forth very quickly.
The result is injury to the ligaments, muscles, and discs of the neck and spine. Too many people who have been in a traumatic accidents do not receive the proper treatment. They go from the emergency room to the medical doctor’s office and do not have their mis-alignments, pinched nerves treated, strained muscles treated as many medical doctors do not recommend alternative care.
Traditional doctors would most likely recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, known as NSAIDs, to ease the pain. It is important to be aware of potential drawbacks, including greater risks of serious cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and kidney problems. The most common reactions are allergic reactions including swelling the face, wheezing, and hives. Another common reaction is stomach bleeding.
This may be the reason why over half of the accident victims never completely recover from their injuries and may live on pain killers for years or endure repeated surgery.
Acupuncture stimulates the flow of energy through the body’s meridians, correcting blockages in the central nervous system, promoting healing and delivering immediate pain relief. With acupuncture, pain is NOT ‘covered up’ or bandaged, like it would be with pain killers.
What is Whiplash?
Whiplash describes a range of injuries to the neck usually associated with a motor vehicle accident. The exact injury mechanism that causes whiplash is unknown. It is a combination of damage to muscles, tendons, ligaments and often a misalignment of the spine. The symptoms include, pain in the back and neck, referred pain into the shoulders, a pins and needles feeling in the arms and legs, headaches, decreased range of motion, tenderness, knotted muscles and cognitive issues such as, easily distracted or irritated. Whiplash symptoms can show up right after the crash, but often are not felt for a few days.
It has been said that the best way to treat whiplash and to prevent chronic pain in the future is movement. Any sort of movement can be difficult when you’re in pain. Both trigger point injections and acupuncture can help with this.
It is commonly known that acupuncture is great for helping with muscle stress, easing pain and to promote healing. Acupuncture stimulates the flow of fresh blood which helps move nutrients into the areas that need it to repair damage. The damage might take a longer time to heal without the help of acupuncture guiding the body to help itself.
Recovery after an accident takes time, even minor ones. Daily activities and things we want to do get put aside when people are in pain. Both of these treatment procedures will help to alleviate pain faster so that healing can begin. Without the discomfort of muscle knots and other soft tissue injuries, movement becomes easier and life can resume.