Recent data from national hospital records estimates that 869,000 cervical spine injuries from car crashes are seen each year. Of those, roughly 841,000 are from whiplash. Despite the scale of the problem, many commonly used crash databases, like the NASS-CDS, underreport the true number of spinal injuries.
That doesn’t mean they don’t happen. It means they’re often overlooked or underestimated until the pain becomes chronic.
I see this all the time in my clinic, The Disc Chiropractic in Wheat Ridge, CO. Patients walk in weeks after a crash, never realizing their symptoms began the moment their head snapped forward and back. That’s whiplash, and without proper care, it doesn’t just go away.
What Is Whiplash and How Do I Know if I Have It?
Whiplash is a type of neck injury that happens when your head moves suddenly and forcefully back and forth, often during a car accident or a sports injury to the head.
That sudden motion creates what’s known as a cervical acceleration-deceleration (CAD) injury, which can stretch or damage the muscles, nerves, and joints in your neck.
The Whiplash-Associated Disorders (WAD) classification, developed by the Quebec Task Force, organizes whiplash into five grades based on severity and neurological involvement.
Grade 0
The patient with whiplash doesn’t feel any pain or show any signs or symptoms of injury.
Grade 1
In this classification, a patient begins to feel mild discomfort. These include signs like:
- Your neck may feel tight, sore, or tender when touched.
- Some limitations in how you move your neck
Grade 2
The patient begins experiencing all of the symptoms from Grade 1, plus physical signs of the injury, including:
- Pain that radiates to the head, face, shoulders, or upper back
- Muscle spasms or guarding can limit your ability to turn or move your neck.
- Swelling, bruising, or increased sensitivity in the injured area
Grade 3
The patient will start experiencing neurological symptoms along with symptoms from the other grades. These can include:
- You might feel numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arms or hands.
- Headaches are common, especially near the base of the skull.
- Some patients report visual disturbances, dizziness (Vertigo), or even trouble swallowing or speaking clearly.
These symptoms mean the injury is affecting how your brain and body are communicating.
Grade 4
This is the most severe level of whiplash. It includes all of the symptoms above, but with signs of structural damage, such as a fracture or a cervical disc misalignment.
Most Common Causes of Whiplash
While most people associate whiplash with car accidents, it’s important to know that any situation that forces your neck to react violently can cause it.
Auto Accidents
Rear-end car accidents are the most common cause of whiplash. While many people think only high-speed crashes cause injury, research shows otherwise.
A peer-reviewed study found that a change in speed as low as 12 km/h (about 7.5 mph) can still damage the soft tissues of the neck.
The explanation for it is that our seatbelt holds your body in place, but your head keeps moving forward. That whip-like motion strains the cervical spine.
Sports Injuries
Whiplash isn’t limited to car crashes. Athletes, especially in football are more prone to getting this injury . A sudden tackle or even a helmet-on-helmet collision can place intense strain on the cervical spine and stretch facet joints.
The issue is that these injuries often go unnoticed at first. An athlete might even finish a game thinking it’s just soreness, only to develop symptoms later on.
Everyday Accidents
Whiplash may also happen when you take a nasty slip or a hard fall. What these have in common is unprepared motion. When your body moves unexpectedly, your head lags, whipping the neck forward or backward.
Best Whiplash Treatment In Denver, CO
Chiropractic adjustments
Whiplash often leaves the cervical vertebrae misaligned, which places excess pressure on nearby nerves and joints. Through precise, gentle adjustments we correct alignment and restore proper motion to the spine.
Spinal Decompression Therapy
If your Whiplash is Grade 3, it may involve a bulging or herniated disc. I recommend that spinal decompression be part of your care. Using the Triton DTS system, we gently stretch that part of your cervical spine to relieve pressure on the affected disc and surrounding nerves.
Shockwave Therapy
For deep muscle spasms and chronic stiffness following whiplash, we may use shockwave therapy with the Intelect RPW 2. It delivers acoustic waves that break down calcified scar tissues and trigger points, to stimulate blood circulation, and help overactive muscles relax.
Soft tissue therapy
Whiplash can create layers of tightness in the neck, shoulders, and upper back. We use the Rapid Release™ Pro 3+ to help loosen muscle guarding, relieve trigger points, and accelerate healing in areas that often become locked down after trauma.
Therapeutic Exercises & Postural Rehab
After an injury, the deep stabilizing muscles in your neck often weaken. We teach patients corrective exercises to retrain these muscles, restore proper head and neck posture, and reduce the risk of flare-ups.
Frequently Asked Questions : FAQ
Can whiplash happen in low-speed crashes?
Yes, and it happens more often than most people think. Studies show that even crashes with a change in speed of just 7.5 mph can cause enough force to injure the soft tissues of the neck.
How soon should I get treatment after an accident?
Ideally, within the first 24 to 72 hours. While pain or stiffness may take time to appear, soft tissue damage, joint misalignment, and disc stress begin immediately at the moment of impact.
Will whiplash go away on its own?
Some Grade 1 cases may improve with rest and time, but most don’t fully resolve without treatment.
Does auto insurance cover whiplash?
Yes—if you’re in Colorado, most auto insurance policies include MedPay (Medical Payments coverage), which helps cover your chiropractic care after an accident. MedPay usually pays for your treatment regardless of who was at fault.
Is whiplash only caused by car accidents?
No. While rear-end car collisions are the most well-known cause, whiplash can result from any sudden jolt to the neck. Slips and falls, can create the same cervical acceleration-deceleration (CAD) forces that strain the neck’s soft tissues.
Heal Whiplash the Right Way
Still dealing with neck pain, headaches, or brain fog after a car accident. It’s time to stop guessing and start correcting the real problem.
Your first visit is only $97 and includes a full consultation, spinal exam, and my detailed report of findings.
Book an Appointment Now or Call: 720-573-4910 to get started.