Whiplash can change your life in an instant. I know, because it did for me. Years ago I was rear-ended by a van going about 40 miles per hour. In a split second my car was totaled and my body was injured, and I struggled with months of low-grade disability.
Whiplash is most commonly associated with car accidents, but can also happen from falls and other accidents. It’s a musculoskeletal injury that’s caused by sudden impact, a quick jerking of your head forward or to the side, and the resulting trauma to your spine. The most common symptom of whiplash is pain—neck, shoulder, arm, low back, or pain between your shoulder blades. However, there are other symptoms associated with a whiplash injury, which can include headaches, sleeplessness, dizziness, anxiety, vision problems, fatigue, and poor concentration.
Many people don’t feel any pain right after a car accident, and some assume because the impact happened at a slow speed, that they’re fine. However, crash tests have determined that soft tissue injuries can occur at speeds as slow as five miles per hour. For that reason, many people walk away from an accident thinking they’re fine, only to begin experiencing symptoms days and even weeks after the fact.
Whiplash causes inflammation to the soft tissue of your neck and back. It can also cause damage not only to the soft tissue, but also to the ligaments, tendons, nerves, and bones of your spine and surrounding areas. It can cause muscle tears, cervical sprains, ligament ruptures, herniated discs, and even fractures of the spine.
The Role of Acupuncture
A whiplash injury that’s not treated can easily become a chronic problem, and this is where acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help. A great deal of research has concluded that acupuncture is an effective treatment for neck and back pain. Acupuncture works for this kind of injury for a number of reasons:
-It reduces inflammation. Studies have documented significant increases in the circulation of inflammation-clearing white blood cells in the areas where acupuncture needles have been placed locally.
-Acupuncture increases circulation, which flushes out inflammatory toxins and brings new blood and nutrients into the area being treated, which helps to speed the healing process.
-Your brain chemistry is altered by acupuncture—in a good way. Acupuncture ramps up your body’s own opioid-like pain relief system. In addition, it increases the circulation of endorphins in your brain, which are responsible for mood enhancement and feelings of well-being.
-The decrease in pain and increase in circulation help to improve your range of motion in the injured area.
In addition to acupuncture, your practitioner may incorporate other healing methods into your treatment. This may include massage-like Tui Na, heat therapy, and cupping. If you’re experiencing systemic symptoms, they may also include an herbal formula or some lifestyle changes into your plan for healing as quickly as possible.
Sadly, my whiplash experience happened long enough ago that acupuncture wasn’t a readily available option for healing. I suffered from pain between my shoulder blades that lasted many months; it limited my activities and left me feeling unwell overall. The good news is that now acupuncture is an option, and if you’ve experienced a whiplash injury, it can be an effective path to healing.