Whiplash treatment after a car accident.
A whiplash chiropractor in Scottsdale for the neck that felt fine at the scene and locked up two days later. Dr. Tracey Ryder has treated crash injuries since 2011, documents every visit, and works with your claim paperwork.
- Injury cases since 2011
- Chiropractic, acupuncture and massage in one plan
- Every visit documented
- Old Town Scottsdale, Scottsdale Road
What it is
What a chiropractor for whiplash treats
Whiplash is a sprain and strain of the neck. In a rear-end collision the body is pushed forward by the seat while the head lags, then snaps forward. The ligaments and small joints of the neck are stretched beyond their range in a fraction of a second, the muscles tear slightly and then lock down, and the upper back and jaw often take part of the force too. It happens at speeds as low as a parking-lot bump.
Whiplash treatment in Scottsdale at Ryder starts with an exam that checks the neck joint by joint, tests the nerves into the arms, and looks for anything that needs imaging before treatment. Care is gentle in the first weeks: instrument adjusting, acupuncture for the muscle spasm and headaches, and whiplash massage therapy once the tissue can tolerate it.
If you are searching for a whiplash chiropractor near me after a crash in Scottsdale, Tempe or the 101 corridor, the office is on Scottsdale Road between McDowell and Thomas. Bring the claim information you have and the office will handle the documentation.
- Where it hurts
- Neck, base of the skull, top of the shoulders, between the shoulder blades, sometimes the jaw
- Common causes
- Rear-end and side collisions at any speed, sports collisions, falls
- What we use
- Gentle instrument or manual adjustments, acupuncture, massage once tissue allows
- First visit
- History of the crash, exam, nerve tests, imaging if indicated, documentation, first treatment when appropriate
What is going on
Why whiplash shows up late
At the scene, adrenaline masks a lot. Over the next day or two, the stretched ligaments and torn muscle fibers swell, the neck joints stiffen, and the muscles from the skull to the shoulder blades tighten to splint the injury. That is when the headache starts, the neck stops turning, and sleep goes. Untreated, the neck can heal stiff, with joints that never regain full motion and muscle that stays guarded for months.
Treatment aims to keep the joints moving through healing without stressing the healing tissue. Gentle adjustments restore motion, acupuncture settles the spasm and the headaches, and massage rebuilds the tissue once it can be worked. Documentation at every visit records what was found and what was done.
Symptoms
What people come in with
Whiplash symptoms, often a day or two after the crash:
- A neck that will not turn
- Headache from the base of the skull
- Pain into the shoulders
- Dizziness
- Jaw pain or clicking
- Tingling into an arm
- Trouble concentrating
- Pain between the shoulder blades
- Trouble sleeping
- Low back pain from the seatbelt
Dizziness, jaw pain and low back pain after a crash are all treated here too.
How we treat it
How we treat whiplash
Gentle first, documented always, and the plan changes as the tissue heals.
Chiropractic
Instrument adjusting in the early weeks to restore motion without force, manual techniques as the neck tolerates them. The upper back and jaw are checked and treated too.
Acupuncture
Points at the base of the skull, neck and shoulders for muscle spasm, headache and the sleep disruption that follows a crash.
Massage
Whiplash massage therapy once the acute phase has passed: gentle work on the neck, upper traps and shoulder blades so the healing tissue does not stay guarded.
Your visit
What a first visit after a crash is like
During the visit
- How the crash happened, where you were hit, what hurts now and what has changed since.
- Neck, upper back and jaw exam, nerve tests into the arms, a check for anything needing imaging.
- Documentation of the findings for your claim.
- Gentle first treatment when appropriate.
After the visit
- Whiplash improves over weeks; early visits are closer together, then spaced out as the neck recovers.
- Advice on sleeping position, heat or ice, and movement.
- A re-check and a note at every visit.
Causes
What commonly causes it
Any sudden whip of the head on the neck.
Rear-end collision
The classic one, at any speed.
Side impact
The head whips sideways, often with jaw involvement.
Parking-lot bump
Low speed, real injury. Symptoms are often dismissed.
Sports collision
Football, hockey, a fall in cycling.
A fall
Backward onto the ground or a hard chair.
Amusement rides
Less common, same mechanism.
When to come in
When to see us, and when to go to the ER first
Good reasons to book
- Neck pain, stiffness or headache in the days after a crash.
- A crash that seemed minor but left you sore.
- Whiplash that was treated with medication only and is still there.
- An open claim that needs consistent documentation.
- Jaw, shoulder or low back pain that started with the crash.
Go to the ER first if
- You lost consciousness, or have confusion, vomiting or a severe headache.
- You have weakness or numbness that is getting worse.
- You cannot move your neck at all, or have severe midline neck tenderness.
- There is any chance of a fracture and no imaging has been done.
After the ER clears you, come in. Early motion within a safe range shortens recovery.
Real questions
What people ask about whiplash.
Searched in Scottsdale How long after a car accident do whiplash symptoms start?
Usually within 24 to 72 hours, and sometimes not until several days later. Adrenaline at the scene masks the injury, and the swelling and muscle guarding that cause the pain build over the following days. Feeling fine at the scene does not mean the neck is uninjured.
Can whiplash cause dizziness or jaw pain?
Yes, both. The upper neck sends position information to the brain, and when it is injured the signal conflicts with the eyes and inner ear, which reads as dizziness. The jaw whips with the head and its closing muscles are strained with the neck. Both are checked at the first visit and treated alongside the neck.
Should I wait to see if it gets better on its own?
A few days of rest is reasonable once anything serious is ruled out. Beyond that, an untreated neck tends to heal stiff. Early, gentle care keeps the joints moving through healing.
Is it safe to adjust a neck after a crash?
Once fracture and instability have been ruled out, gentle adjusting is appropriate for most whiplash. Dr. Tracey starts with instrument techniques that involve no twisting and progresses only as the neck tolerates it.
Why does my jaw hurt after a rear-end crash?
The jaw whips with the head, and the muscles that close it are strained along with the neck. The jaw joint is checked at the first visit and treated alongside the neck. See the TMJ page for more.
( Book )
Book a visit for whiplash
Call the office or request an appointment online. Tell us where it hurts and how long it has been going on, and we will set up the right first visit.
- Monday
- 8:30 AM to 6 PM
- Tuesday
- 8:30 AM to 12 PM
- Wednesday
- 8:30 AM to 6 PM
- Thursday
- 2 to 6 PM
- Friday
- 8:30 AM to 6 PM
- Saturday to Sunday
- Closed
Directions in Google Maps
Prefer to talk? Call (480) 900-5280.