What Is Whiplash?
Whiplash is basically a physical injury caused in the spine and the areas or muscles surrounding the spine due to abrupt and prompt jerking motions of the body. For instance, you can have whiplash in a car accident due to sudden jerk motions, backward or forward.
Basically, the muscles and the soft tissues present in that area are caught off-guard. They aren’t really prepared for such abrupt movement and hence, results in torn soft muscle tissues.
Effects of Whiplash
Whiplash is followed by tendon pain, stiffness, soreness of muscles, pain around the neck, shoulders and upper back areas, and also back pain.
The pain usually disappears after 2 to 3 weeks after the accidents but if it does not go away, then its best to consult a professional osteopathic practitioner and seek massage therapies.
Whiplash tears off the muscle tissues on a microcellular level. Moreover, it also causes damage to the supportive tissues preventing tears to the connective muscle tissues.
You only start to feel pain when the supportive tissues are healing or when the scars on the connective soft tissues are healing.
While the supportive tissues are healing, you might experience pulling and tightness in your muscles. Hence, restricting flexibility and free movement.
What’s the Most Effective Treatment for Whiplash?
According to the practitioners, massage is the best and the most effective treatment for whiplash. It helps the most when the supportive tissues are re-aligning and the scars are being healed. Moreover, it also increases mobility and flexibility that’s usually reduced if you have whiplash.
The cross-fiber friction massage is best when you are suffering from whiplash. In this therapy, the therapist manipulates the area where tissues are damaged by pressing counter to the length and direction of the damaged muscle.
This does not only loosen the muscles but also removes adhesions and prevents scar build-up. Also, the therapist might also use some special techniques of this massage to restore full body flexibility and to reduce the muscle tension.
Time Period to Seek Massage Therapy for Whiplash
Typical massage treatment for whiplash lasts only 8 to 12 sessions, once per week. This dramatically provides a 100% recovery.
There are other alternatives too, such as yoga and alternate physical activities but they are not as effective as the typical massage therapy.
Important Thing to Realize About Whiplash
There’s an important thing to realize about having whiplash and it is that if the muscle soreness and stiffness are not treated, the pain would not go, even after years. You might never be free from the muscle knots and stiffness. Consequently, the pain would become a part of your lifestyle.
So, in a nutshell, if you have ever been in an accident and still suffering from whiplash, you can seek massage therapy and get rid of all the muscle knots, inflexibility, and never-ending pain. Massage therapy is the best solution to end whiplash and to restore full-body movement. Moreover, it also reduces anxiety and improves muscle health.
