Any rapid head movement can cause a Whiplash. ALTERNATIVE CARE CHIROPRACTIC Reston, Virginia

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1 ALTERNATIVE CARE CHIROPRACTIC Reston, Virginia P ROV E N R E L I E F F RO M W H I P L A S H Any rapid head movement can cause a Whiplash injury. Although whiplash is commonly associated with car accidents as low as 5 mph, you can actually suffer a whiplash injury from any sudden acceleration or deceleration, playing sports, thrill rides or even a fall can cause this injury. The good thing is, Chiropractic Care can give you relief. Whether you had a whiplash injury or any kind of neck injury yesterday, six months ago or years ago,you need the relief that only chiropractic care provides. Whiplash is a term used to refer to a sudden and intense movement of your head to the front, back or side, caused by a rapid change in direction. This injury can cause damage to the muscles, tendons and ligaments of your neck and back, it can even damage the joints of the spine. Even a minor whiplash injury can cause pain and discomfort to the sensitive muscles of the spine. Within 72 hours your body starts to heal itself by building up scar tissue around the pulled and torn muscles. If left untreated, that scar tissue can cause you chronic pain or stiffness that might not manifest for quite some time after the accident.

2 The Most Common Whiplash Symptoms Include Neck Pain and Stiff Neck Upper Back Pain Headaches Spasms Fatigue There are up to 5 million new cases of whiplash diagnosed every year. However, there are many people who never report their whiplash because they think it will just go away, it isn t that bad or they don t even realize they ve had a whiplash injury so they simply ignore the symptoms. Don t fall into that category! Untreated whiplash injuries, minor or severe, can result in long term pain and stiffness as well as decreased mobility and flexibility. Concussion Symptoms including blurred vision and dizziness Pain, burning or tingling in your limbs Shoulder pain Mood Swings or Irritability Difficulty Chewing or Swallowing Face or Jaw pain Nausea If you have any of the symptoms listed, we can offer you help and relief that only chiropractic can provide. If left untreated, your body will fix itself with scar tissue, resulting in chronic stiffness and pain. Severe whiplash can also result in ruptured discs and fractured vertebrae. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, call us today for a complete chiropractic, orthopedic and neurological exam. We ll do all we can to help you feel better and restore you to full functionality.

3 PHYSICAL MEDICINE ULTRASOUND to disperse swelling by increasing tissue membrane permeability affording lymphatic drainage. MUSCLE STIMULATION to affect motor and sensory nerves. It also affords a mechanical massage, which serves to relax and exercise muscles, eliminate toxic material and increase blood and lymph flow reducing adhesions. MASSAGE THERAPY AND SOFT TISSUE TECHNIQUE BRACING AND TAPING increases blood supply to injured area and helps with extraction of fluids due to inflammation. It aids in the facilitation of movement thereby helping with ligament and tendon healing as well as muscles involved in the injured areas. Massage also helps with the separation of muscle fibers, preventing the formation of adhesions, spasms and trigger points resulting from soft tissue injuries such as automotive collisions. CERVICAL TRACTION aids in freeing articular adhesions, restoring muscle tone and improving nutrition to the disc through vertebrae end plates accelerating the healing process. DRY NEEDLING AND ACUPUNCTURE Dry needling is the use of solid filiform needles for therapy of muscle pain, sometimes also known as intramuscular stimulation. The needles are similar to acupuncture needles. In the treatment the needles are inserted into trigger points (spasms) for persons with myofascial pain syndrome. Through dynamic conditions via controlled exercise protocols, treatment will require attention to postural alignment, strength, flexibility, joint stability, balance reactions and postural strategies. THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE to optimize their muscular control that was weakened by the whiplash injury. Through dynamic conditions via controlled exercise protocols, treatment will require attention to postural alignment, strength, flexibility, joint stability, balance reactions and postural strategies.

4 WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT WHIPLASH You might be thinking... I ve never had whiplash, so why is all of this important to me? There is no way to protect yourself 100% against whiplash; however, the fact of the matter is that there are simple things you can do right now to lower your risk of experiencing a severe whiplash injury. Lastly, your headrest should be adjusted so that the top of the rest is above the top of your head. Research shows that properly positioning your headrest can reduce the severity of whiplash injuries by as much as 75%. KEEP YOUR HEAD BACK When your at an amusement park or fairgrounds, make sure to avoid whiplash by holding your head against the headrests on thrill rides and roller coasters. Of course, if your already experiencing neck, back or shoulder pain, you should probably stick with the kiddie rides for now! If you follow these simple steps, you ll greatly reduce the severity of whiplash. BE FLEXIBLE AND STRONG Many injuries can be lessened if the spine and joints of the body were more flexible and the muscles stronger. This does not mean you have to be a Yoga Master or Body Builder. Routine exercise is a great way to stay healthy, flexible and prevent injuries. ADJUST THAT HEADREST Your seat should be in an upright position and not reclined. A reclined seat increases the distance of your head to the headrest. You head should sit no more than 4 inches from the headrest at all times. The closer your head is to the headrest, the less your head will jerk backwards in an accident. Less strain on the neck muscles and tendons means fewer whiplash injuries. Remember: We are the experts at treating whiplash. In fact, studies have shown that 93% of whiplash symptoms improve through chiropractic care.

5 WHAT TO DO AfTER YOUR ACCIDENT The first and most important thing is to treat the injuries and decrease the inflammation. Ice always for the first 24 to 48 hours after an accident. Over the counter anti-inflammatory drugs and pain killers may provide some relief, but if your like me, sensitive stomach or are afraid of the side effects there are plenty of natural things that can help. Acute Phase by Metagenics is designed to provide highly targeted nutritional support for patients who may benefit from muscle tissue support and minor pain relief. Featuring premium-grade proteolytic enzymes, targeted herbal extracts, and essential minerals, The combination of bromelain (plant based proteolytic enzymes) and other key ingredients like curcumin make it ideal for acute and long term maintenance to help regulate the natural inflammatory response. HOW CAN WE HELP MANAGE YOUR INJURY Chiropractics primary concern is the integrity of the spine and the nervous system housed inside it. The approach to chiropractic is to obtain optimal function of both by correcting the abnormal structural problems caused by trauma. Through gentle chiropractic many of our patients have found relief and you may too.

6 Dr. Christopher Bruno DC Isaac Newton Square Reston, VA Dr. Christopher Bruno DC Chiropractic Physician Better Life With Chiropractic A high percentage of automobile accidents result in whiplash. To avoid short and long term pain, chiropractic care should be administered as soon as possible. A whiplash injury is caused by sudden movement of the head in any direction. The result is muscles and ligaments supporting the spine can be strained and torn. Symptoms may include neck pain and stiffness, head aches, dizziness, blurred vision, pain between the shoulders and fatigue. Often times injured victims are not aware of the damage that was caused by whiplash because symptoms may actually appear later on. Prompt detection of your injuries can significantly decrease long-term consequences. Even after whiplash victims settle insurance claims, almost half suffer with symptoms even two years later. This is why insurance companies try to settle claims quickly. FREE CONSULTATION! Are you in pain? Tire easily? Joints stiff and sore? WE CAN HELP!! CALL NOW! REFERRALS Our office makes all of your necessary referral for Spinal Imaging such as CT Scans or MRI s should you ever need them. X-rays are provided at our office. Medical Physician Referral We work closely with local physicians to make sure your health and comfort are the top priority when dealing with these types of acute injuries. Dr. Bruno's holistic approach really made a difference and he's had a huge impact on my life. When I was hit by a car, I didn't know the full extent or impact of my injuries and didn't want to medicate with pain pills. I sought chiropractic treatment and interviewed several doctors. Dr. Bruno was the best fit for me and I'm grateful to him. He was compassionate, patient, knowledgeable, and skilled. I'm so grateful to him for his expertise, curiosity for learning and his ability to educate. I participate in my health and wellness goals more fully because of his support. Chiropractic has its benefits, but Dr. Bruno's holistic approach really made a difference and he's had a huge impact on my life. His skills produced great results and I still see him periodically for adjustments and checkups to keep me in balance and at my best so I can live the active lifestyle I want! Sherry B.

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