What’s More Effective For Whiplash Treatment, Chiropractic Versus Physical Therapy?
A study published in the Journal of Whiplash and Related Disorders looked to find out.
Researchers compared Physical Therapy to Chiropractic Treatment to determine which treatment was more effective for Whiplash Injuries.
This is important because Whiplash Injuries cause so many problems in people involved in a collision in Texarkana.
These injuries cause neck pain, stiffness, dizziness, headaches, ringing in the ears, and blurred vision among other issues. Many of these problems are caused be injuries to the small spinal joints, supporting musculature, ligaments, and discs.
Other symptoms are related to injury to the small nerves, even the spinal cord and brain from concussion type forces.
Chronic whiplash injuries can be devastating to people resulting in everything from constant pain to losses of enjoyment of life, inability to play with your kids or grandkids, having to give up favorite hobbies, even disability and inability to work.
Preventing these chronic problems may be to a large part determined on how you are treated at an early stage after a crash.
The researchers looked at physical treatment of recent whiplash neck injuries.
The results were impressive and even more so considering the researchers treatment design.
More on that in a moment.
In the Physical Therapy Group after 10 visits…
- Whiplash sufferers had a 19% decrease in head and neck pain.
- An increase of 2.5% in ability to turn head and a 6% increase in the ability to look down.
OK not bad the people getting PT did have a little improvement with care.
Let’s see how the Chiropractic group did.
In the Chiropractic Group after 4 visits…
- Whiplash sufferers had a 40% decrease in head and neck pain.
- An increase of 20% in ability to turn head and a 17.5% increase in the ability to look down.
Even so, the chiropractic treatment was much more effective.
From the authors:
This study indicates that chiropractic manipulation will bring much faster, more profound relief of pain, and increase in neck ranges of motion that physical therapy.
There are other advantages to seeing a chiropractor first, before physical therapy.
Physical therapy can help many different problems and when done at the right time in the right person, PT is often successful.
There are differences when comparing chiropractors and PTs.
Treatments vary but really even more importantly there are differences in scopes of practice.
Chiropractors do not need a referral.
We can also evaluate, diagnose, and treat without a Medical Doctor’s order.
This is very important in whiplash conditions because often injuries can be missed. You need a health care provider that can ensure this does not happen to you.
Chiropractors can fully evaluate your condition, order any necessary tests including x-rays and MRIs, read those tests, diagnose your injuries, treat, and refer to other specialists as necessary.
If you have had an accident in Texarkana, we’re here to help you get better.
You do not need a referral to come in and see us at our Texarkana Clinic.
Call us today to schedule a consultation in Texarkana.
Reference:
Manipulative Treatment vs. Conventional Physiotherapy Treatment in Whiplash Injury: A Randomized Controlled Trial Journal of Whiplash & Related Disorders 2004; Vol. 3; No. 2
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262799505_Manipulative_Treatment_vs_Conventional_Physiotherapy_Treatment_in_Whiplash_InjuryA_Randomized_Controlled_Trial
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