Westernport osteopathy
Concussion and Whiplash Injuries
Osteopathy for Concussion and whiplash
While our skulls and neck are pretty tough stuff, there are a wide range of ways we can accidentally injure ourselves and cause concussion or whiplash. Without proper care and treatment, symptoms such as pain or loss of movement can linger for far longer than we’d like. Westernport Osteopathy is here to help.
What is a concussion?
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body that disrupts normal brain function. It can occur in various settings, from sports fields to everyday activities, and requires timely and appropriate management to ensure recovery.
Symptoms can include
- Headache or dizziness
- Vision and speech difficulties
- Confusion or difficulty concentrating
- Vertigo
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Sensitivity to noise or light
- Fatigue or behavioral changes
While many people will recover from their concussion experience, there may still be lingering symptoms. Westernport Osteopathy is proud to work alongside Peninsula Concussion Clinic allowing you to return to normal activities while ensuring the correct education to prevent re-injury in the future.
What is whiplash?
Whiplash is an injury that affects the soft tissue of the neck, caused by sudden vigorous head movement in one direction, then quickly another. The most common example of whiplash is a car accident, where a sudden stop may push you forward then throw you back due to your seatbelt. This causes injury to your neck muscles and tendons due to overstretching or spraining.
Whiplash can be a tricky injury, as the full extent of swelling and pain may not show up straight away. Instead, you may find your symptoms show up a few hours later, becoming worse over a few days.
Symptoms of whiplash include
- Pain, stiffness and tenderness in neck
- Difficulty moving your neck, as well as weakness and spasms
- Headaches, dizziness and blurred vision
- Numbness and pain through your shoulders and arms
Osteopathy for whiplash on the Mornington Peninsula
Depending on your initial examination by a GP or other specialist, osteopathy can assist in supporting the treatment of your symptoms in a way that is harmonious with the other systems of the body. It is common for the body to utilize other muscles while recovering from an injury such as whiplash, causing tightness and pain to the neck, shoulders and back. As your osteopath, we look at the complete body, and how this injury can cause symptoms in a cascade, and so look to treating your symptoms by considering all the impacted areas.
In cases where your osteopath is your first point of contact, we may also conduct some testing to understand more about your condition and potentially refer you to a GP or hospital, especially if you experienced a significant trauma.
If you’d like to learn more, contact us on (03) 5977 7342 or book in your consultation today.
