Joplin, MO Whiplash Injuries

Over 1 million people are injured in rear-end crashes each year in the US, and a substantial fraction of whiplash injury cases result in pain for years or even decades. The good news is that chiropractic care has been found to be a successful way to care for whiplash injuries and prevent chronic pain. Dr. Lewis has helped many Joplin, MO, residents who have experienced an auto accident and we may be able to help you, as well!



A 1996 British scientific study sums up the problem:

"The 'whiplash' syndrome is a collection of symptoms produced as a result of soft-tissue injury of the cervical spine. The accumulated literature suggests that 43 percent of patients will suffer long-term symptoms following 'whiplash' injury. If patients are still symptomatic after three months then there is almost a 90 per cent chance that they will remain so. No conventional treatment has proven to be effective in these established chronic cases."

The authors of this study examined the advantages of chiropractic care in 28 patients with persistent whiplash pain. The patients were referred to the doctor of chiropractic an average of 15.5 (range, 3-44) months after the accident, and were interviewed before treatment by both an third-party chiropractor and an orthopedic physician. The subjects were allotted to one of four classification groups: A - No symptoms; B - Symptoms are a nuisance; C - Symptoms are intrusive; and, D - Symptoms are disabling. The initial examination placed 27 of the 28 patients in groups C or D.

"Following treatment, 26 (93 per cent) of the patients had improved: 16 by one symptom group and 10 by two symptom groups. This improvement was independent of whether it was assessed by an orthopaedic surgeon or a chiropractor. In the group that had improved, 17 had stopped their treatment at the time of assessment; symptoms had recurred to a minor degree in four (24 per cent) of these patients and they were considering further treatment."

This agrees with what we find in our clinic here in Joplin, MO. Chiropractic is an excellent way to help you heal from auto injuries and prevent chronic pain and disability.

Don't endure old or recent auto accidents! We have been helping auto injury patients in Joplin, MO since 1993. Call our clinic today at (417) 782-2504 to see how we can help you.

Woodward MN, Cook JCH, Gargan MF, Bannister GC. Chiropractic treatment of chronic -whiplash- injuries. Injury: International Journal of the Care of the Injured 1996;27(9):643-645.