What Is Whiplash?

Whiplash occurs when your head and neck experience a sudden, forceful thrust, typically caused by a rear-end vehicle collision. The sudden forward push to the torso leaves the head stationary for a split second, causing the cervical spine to bend into an unnatural S shape.

People who have experienced whiplash often report stiffness and pain in the neck and shoulder areas. Head movement becomes limited, and the swelling of the facet joints and intervertebral discs can sometimes lead to chronic pain.

Renew Spine & Rehabilitation uses chiropractic care and other treatment methods to heal the injury and rehabilitate the neck. If you recently experienced a vehicular accident, a fall, or a contact sports collision, consult our whiplash chiropractor in El Campo for an assessment.

Chiropractor doing a myofascial therapy for his woman patient

Why Prompt Whiplash Treatment Matters

A whiplash injury puts strain and limitation on one of the essential movements of your daily life. Moving your head can feel annoying at best and painful at worst. It’s essential to get immediate treatment because of the following reasons:

Delayed symptoms: Some whiplash incidents don’t immediately manifest neck pain until days or weeks after. It’s best to get treatment before they occur.
Prevents scar tissue: Early treatment prevents the unorganized formation of scar tissue, which can cause a limited range of motion.
Provides relief: Apart from recovery, treatment plans help relieve neck pain and strain from whiplash.

How Chiropractic Care Helps with Whiplash

Our chiropractic care for Whiplash in El Campo can be a standalone treatment or combined with other methods to form a customized rehabilitation plan. Some of the methods we use include the following:

Chiropractic Adjustments

Our resident chiropractor realigns the cervical spine to release pressure from the joints and discs, relieving pain in the neck and shoulders.

Soft Tissue Therapy

We use various massage methods to treat neck, back, and shoulder stiffness. This helps relieve pain and improve the range of motion.

chiropractor-massaging-back-of-bearded-man-in-hospital

Corrective Exercises

After the session, we will recommend several neck exercises to strengthen the muscles around the cervical spine and help speed up your recovery.

Holistic Rehab Programs

To ensure complete recovery, we put together different treatment modalities for our whiplash treatment in El Campo to heal your neck, shoulder, back, and any secondary problems.

Woman athlete vising a specialist for sports medicine

What to Expect During Your First Visit

Our warm and helpful staff will make you feel at ease when you walk into our clinic. They will also guide you in fulfilling your intake form. Once you’ve accomplished that, we’ll assist you through the following process:

Consultation and history review: Our resident chiropractor will examine your neck, shoulders, and back to evaluate your condition.
Physical exam and possible imaging: You’ll perform head and neck movements to test your mobility, and we recommend X-ray imaging as needed.
Personalized care plan: Once we understand your condition, we will design a treatment plan tailored to address it effectively.
Ongoing support: Throughout the sessions, we will monitor your progress and adjust the treatment plan based on your feedback and your body’s needs.

Why Choose Renew Spine & Rehab in El Campo?

We believe in gentle and safe treatment as the most effective approach to healing and recovery. Throughout the rehabilitation process, we ensure your security and comfort by addressing all your questions and prioritizing your well-being, allowing you to focus on your healing.

Local experience

Our resident chiropractor and his team have successfully treated whiplash by combining chiropractic care and other methods.

Patient-focused

We perform an extensive assessment of your condition and ask about your needs and treatment goals, so we can design a care plan that suits you.

Focus on long-term results

Apart from treating your whiplash symptoms, we also integrate methods to help you recover naturally and bounce back stronger.

Frequently Asked Questions

As soon as possible. Healthcare professionals consider whiplash an emergency. Whether you feel pain or not, you should consult a chiropractor because it’s likely that there are misalignments in your neck and spine.

Postponing consultation and treatment for a whiplash may increase the risk of complications such as chronic pain, vertigo, headache, and degenerative disease. We highly recommend you seek treatment as soon as possible.

Yes, it is safe, but it’s also beneficial. Professionals undergo years of training to get a license to safely practice chiropractic care, making them capable of realigning your neck and spine area while relieving whiplash pain and discomfort.

Your recovery period depends on the specifics of your case. Chiropractors can give you an estimated recovery time based on your treatment plan, and if you follow their post-session advice, there’s a good chance you’ll recover earlier than expected.

Most insurance providers cover whiplash treatments. However, you may also want to check with your provider to see if they cover your case.

Meet Your Chiropractor

JZ Benson, DC

Chiropractor

Dr. JZ Benson worked for a contractor in high school who specialized in remodeling homes and thought he’d follow that career path. At the age of 16, he fell 12 feet and landed on a 2×4, severely injuring his spine.

For six months, he went from doctor to doctor, wearing a corset-like back brace and being heavily medicated. He was told surgery was his only choice, but a friend helped him find another solution—chiropractic care.

This inspired him to become a chiropractor and help others experience healing like he had.

What Our Patients Say

Dr. Benson is absolutely the best! I took my husband to the ER in severe pain in his lower back. He could not move. They pumped him full of pain medication and sent him on his way, saying they could not help him. I called Dr. Benson’s office in the ER and explained the situation. Took my husband straight to his office from the ER. He could not walk, sit up, and was laid out in the back seat of my truck. Dr. Benson came out to my truck and helped me get him out of the truck and into one of the rooms. After working on him for about 45 minutes, he could walk out with the help of crutches, and the next day, he was walking without them! My husband was back at work 4 days later after figuring out he had a pinched nerve and two more visits. I would highly recommend Dr. Benson and his entire staff to anyone looking for a chiropractor who really cares about his patients.

Donna W.

I have been a client for years. It’s been a while since my last visit because DR. Benson fixed my issues. Just left an appointment and walked out feeling so much better than when I walked in. Thank you again. Friendly and professional staff that’s always so welcoming and helpful!

Rachel R.

I used to have my doubts and fears about chiropractors. Dr. Benson cleared all those on day one. The following day, I felt more agile, and I could better tolerate my pain. Thank you, team!

Jessica A.

Dr. Donald Thingpen

Chiropractor

Dr. Donald Thigpen is licensed Doctor of Chiropractic with 20+ years of experience. He specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of conditions related to the spine, joints, and musculoskeletal system. Dr. Thigpen is also certified practitioner in dry needling through the American Academy of Manipulative Therapy, certified Decompression Therapy Practitioner through the Kennedy Decompression Institute, certified practitioner in Whiplash Injury Biomechanics & Traumatology through the Spine Research Institute of San Diego, certified practitioner in Webster Technique through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, and certified practitioner in manual therapy.

Dr. Thigpen received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Texas Chiropractic College and was valedictorian of his graduating class. While at Texas Chiropractic College, he received an extensive education in human anatomy, physiology, pathology, and other clinical and biological sciences. From 2001 to 2003, under the direction of Dr. Bill McGimsey, Ph.D., Dr. Thigpen was appointed to the position of gross anatomy lab instructor and performed dissections on over 150 human cadavers. From 2002 to 2003, under the direction of Dr. Hasnaa Shafik, M.D., Ph.D, Dr. Thigpen was appointed to the position of histopathology lab instructor where he assisted doctoral students in the microscopic identification of human tissues and diseases.

Dr. Thigpen's experience includes a chiropractic internship along with medical rotations in neurosurgery and rheumatology. His rotation in neurosurgery was conducted under the supervision of Dr. Edward Murphy, M.D., at St. Joseph's Hospital in Houston, Texas. During his rotation in neurosurgery, Dr. Thigpen assisted Dr. Murphy with neurological examinations, observed and assisted in surgery, and received extensive instruction on neurological conditions, brain MRIs, and spine MRIs. His rotation in rheumatology was conducted under the supervision of Dr. Martin Lidsky, M.D., at the Veteran's Affair's Medical Center in Houston, Texas. Under the instruction of Dr. Lidsky, Dr. Thigpen gained valuable knowledge and experience on the proper evaluation and diagnosis of many arthritic and rheumatic conditions.

Prior to attending Texas Chiropractic College in Houston, Texas, Dr. Thigpen completed his undergraduate studies at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. In May of 2000, he graduated cum laude and received a bachelor of science degree in biology. While at MSU, he was selected to participate in a senior honors thesis research project, which he completed under the direction of Dr. Ray Neyland, Ph.D.

From 2004 to 2008, in addition to a full time practice as a Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Thigpen was an instructor at the Louisiana Institute of Massage Therapy where he taught human anatomy, physiology, and pathology. Dr. Thigpen is also an Elsevier text book reviewer and has been recognized in three text books for his contributions. You can find him listed as a contributing editor and reviewer in Mosby's Pathology for Massage Therapists 2nd Edition, Massage Therapy Principles and Practice 3rd Edition, and Massage Therapy Principles and Practice 4th Edition.

Dr. Thigpen is a member of the Texas Chiropractic Association, American Chiropractic Association, and the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association.

Whiplash Treatment in El Campo

What Is Whiplash?

Why Prompt Whiplash Treatment Matters