Whiplash is a painful injury that often occurs as part of a car accident when one car hits another, especially from behind. The person who has been hit may experience pain in the neck either at the time of the accident or within a few days of the accident, and this can indicate whiplash has occurred. There are many different medical and self-treatments for a whiplash injury. At Metro Medic in New Bedford, MA we can help you heal if you have experienced whiplash.
It is important to be able to determine whether you have experienced whiplash, so you should be aware of the symptoms. You may find that it becomes necessary to contact an attorney if you got whiplash in an accident that was another person’s fault. In the meantime, you should get any whiplash symptoms thoroughly checked by a medical professional so your treatment plan can begin and you can get back to your regular pain-free life.
The length of time it will take for a whiplash injury to heal depends greatly on how hard the whiplash was and on the individual person who has suffered the whiplash. Most people heal from whiplash within about 3 months with treatment, but this can be longer or shorter depending on the injury itself. The large majority of people are healed from regular whiplash within 6 months’ time.
Sometimes whiplash can be chronic, and this means that symptoms will persist for years or even for the rest of the person’s life. People who are senior citizens are more likely to develop chronic whiplash symptoms than people who are younger. Also, people who suffered from severe pain at the time of the whiplash are more likely to take longer to recover.
Whiplash or cervical acceleration-deceleration syndrome occurs when the neck is forced into a quick, strong forward and backward movement that is similar to the cracking of a whip. This intense motion puts a great deal of stress on the cervical spine, causing pain, tenderness, and inflammation.
The most common cause of whiplash is a car accident. This typically occurs when one car hits another from behind. This causes the people in the car to be violently driven forward. This forward motion snaps the neck in one direction and then the neck is snapped back when the forward motion ends. When the car causing the accident hits the car in front at a high rate of speed, the injuries that occur will typically be worse.
Whiplash can also occur during contact sports and other kinds of physical activity that may cause the body to crash forcefully into someone else or be pulled forward or back with an intense motion. Football especially is a sport where whiplash can be a problem because of the way that the athletes tackle and jump on each other causing parts of the body, such as the neck, to move quickly and violently.
Other physical activities or sports where whiplash may be common are bungee jumping, where the body is suddenly snapped forward and backward due to the contraction of the bungee cord, and mixed martial arts.
The back and forth motion that the body is put through on rollercoasters is another cause of whiplash. This is particularly true if the rollercoaster has many spots where the track whips quickly back and forth. Riders may also get whiplash on a rollercoaster if the coaster stops suddenly or accelerates very quickly.
Falls can cause whiplash when the person lands on the neck area and the spine is jolted quickly backward and forward. This will usually happen when the fall is from a high distance such as off a horse or a ladder, but it can happen when the fall is simply to the ground.
The most common symptom of whiplash is neck pain. This pain can be minimal or it can be very severe. It may last a long time or a very short time, and it may be constant or come and go. The pain may start as soon as the injury occurs, or it can appear 24 hours or more after the accident or incident.
Another symptom of whiplash is stiffness in the neck. The person suffering from whiplash may find that it is hard to move the neck forward and back or from side to side.
Sometimes moving the neck can cause pain when someone has suffered from whiplash. This may be new neck pain or movement may increase the pain that is already present.
Numbness or tingling in the arms can be a sign of whiplash. If you have been in an accident and are experiencing numbness in your arms, you should see a medical professional to have it checked.
Tenderness in the upper back and arms is another sign of whiplash. If your arms and upper back are tender to the touch, it could be a sign of inflammation caused by whiplash. You should have it checked out by a doctor or other medical professional.
A headache is a very common sign of whiplash. The headache is usually located low at the back of the head near the neck and spine. The pain may be constant or may come and go. It can be a sharp pain or a dull pain.
If you are suddenly feeling dizzy after an accident, you could have whiplash. Be careful when moving.
Fatigue is another sign of whiplash. You may feel especially tired even after you first wake up, and you may find yourself taking naps when you usually don’t.
When the pain is especially severe right after the accident has occurred, it is a sign that you may be suffering from whiplash that will last a long time or even create a chronic issue.
If the range of motion in your neck is particularly limited you may be dealing with extreme whiplash. This may be a condition that will last longer than whiplash normally would.
Pain that spreads down through the arms is another sign of serious whiplash.
If you have had whiplash in the past another incident may make the condition chronic or especially severe. Let your health care professionals know if you have had whiplash before.
If you had neck or back pain before your accident, and it has become worse you may be suffering from a more serious form of whiplash. The whiplash from your accident may have increased inflammation and caused the already present pain to become worse.
One of the most important things you can do after suffering from whiplash is to get plenty of rest. You want to make sure your body has the energy to heal, and resting is the best way to do that. Wait a few days before you engage in strenuous physical activity, and be sure to check with a medical professional before you do. Avoid any activity or movement that causes pain or makes your neck pain worse.
Ice and heat are often helpful in cases of whiplash. You can use an ice pack to help with swelling and pain. This is especially helpful right after the injury has occurred because it will help to close blood vessels that may be causing swelling. After the first couple of days, you can apply heat or ice depending on which works best for you.
You can use over-the-counter medications to help treat the pain from whiplash. For some people, this mild medication is enough to ease the pain and become more comfortable.
Some people will require stronger medication than what is available over the counter. These patients will need a doctor’s prescription to get a stronger form of medicine that can eliminate or reduce the pain.
Physical therapy is often an effective treatment for whiplash. In physical therapy, the neck is gently moved in order to help increase the range of motion in the neck area and decrease pain. Strengthening the neck and increasing flexibility can be very helpful in fighting the pain.
Sometimes injections can be useful to help decrease the inflammation that may be causing pain. An example of this is a cervical epidural steroid injection. A cervical facet joint injection may also be helpful in decreasing pain and stiffness within the joint. A trigger point injection may be used to help treat irritated muscles.
Chiropractic manipulation of the neck and spinal area can be very helpful in the treatment of whiplash. Small adjustments may be made to the spine that can relieve pain and also increase the range of motion in the neck.
Acupuncture involves using small needles to target specific areas of the body. Some whiplash patients find this very helpful.
Massage can also be a useful tool in fighting the pain and stiffness associated with whiplash. A massage therapist will know how to apply pressure to the neck area to help relieve tension and pain.
Whiplash can be a devastating injury, and it can take months or years to recover depending on the severity of the injury. When you are suffering from whiplash, your neck, back, and arms may hurt and you may find that you cannot move your neck in normal ways. This type of injury requires medical attention to be sure that it will heal properly. You may also want to seek alternative treatments and participate in self-care.
If you have suffered a whiplash injury, call us at Metro Medic in New Bedford, MA so we can help you create a treatment plan. We will advise you on ways you can care for yourself at home, and we will examine you to determine what the best medical plan of action will be moving forward. Your whiplash may be painful and debilitating, but we can help you recover. Call us today and get started with the right treatment.
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