CranioSacral Therapy for Whiplash

Whiplash is classically defined as a sudden acceleration-deceleration force that causes unrestrained, rapid forward and backward movement of the head and neck. Symptoms can include a painful neck, headache, dizziness, pins and needles in the arms and hands, fatigue. These symptoms can appear immediately after the accident or even some days later. It often happens during motor vehicle accidents. Ever been rear-ended by someone or had an impact to the side or front? If your answer is ‘yes’ then you might know what I mean, or you might have been one of the lucky ones and escaped without any symptoms.

Whiplash can also occur following other types of mishaps – bungee jumping – would be an extreme example, but even falling, tripping awkwardly, being assaulted, diving, sports etc. Some people can also experience concussion along with the whiplash even though they may not have actually had an impact to the head – obviously if the neck moves the head will move too – and sometimes the energy from the sudden forward and back whip of the neck can give a jolt to the brain.

While there are also obviously many whiplashes that either get better by themselves or with the help of a skilled practitioner, I still regularly see people who come to my office because they are suffering from the effects of a whiplash that occurred months and sometimes years earlier. Sometimes things have even improved, but then progress has stalled and they are still left with pain and discomfort in many different parts of the body, not just the neck.

When someone has a whiplash injury, or indeed any kind of accident or injury, the whole body is involved in the response and in the healing process.   So if I can take into account all the different ways that the body received that injury then the healing can be much more complete.

For example, when the head is thrown suddenly forward and then back again a strain can be created through the neck and along whole spine all the way down to the pelvis and low back and unless the sacrum (tailbone) and pelvis are treated and the tension released, usually the neck will have difficulty recovering. Maybe one foot was pressed hard on the brake and a force went up the leg; maybe the person was looking in a particular direction; perhaps the air bag deployed; or the head hit the steering wheel, all of these details are useful when it comes to putting my hands on and listening to the body to determine where and how these strains and stresses need to be released.

That’s one of the great things about CranioSacral Therapy. By quietly listening to the body the therapist’s hands can help release these strains and tensions which then allows the body’s own self-correcting forces to get to work to do the healing.

Jeannette Raskin RMT, CST, practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.