Whiplash Injury: What You Need to Know

If you ever experience an unfortunate event such as a car accident, you are more likely to be confused figuring out what to do next. In many cases, people often forget to take care of themselves. Irrespective of the intensity of pain you are suffering from, make sure to visit a doctor immediately. Apart from the possible lawsuits, there might be some serious health concerns that cannot be identified unless and until a detailed medical assessment is carried out.

Causes of Whiplash

A car accident frequently results in injuries to the neck and back due to damaged or extended tendons and ligaments. One common injury is whiplash associated with complications with the cervical spine. In a car accident, your head suddenly moves back and forth. This extreme force may not result in any evident external injuries, but you never know the force has caused some internal injuries. This can be only found after a comprehensive evaluation.

Apart from car accidents, you can even undergo whiplash in sports and skiing. However, the rear end auto accident is generally the most common condition. Remember whiplash is not caused when hit in the hindmost in a car accident, rather it is due to the abrupt movement of the body forward and then backward due to a powerful force.

Symptoms of Whiplash

If symptoms of whiplash are left untreated, it can eventually result in chronic pain. It’s important to seek immediate medical diagnosis and treatment to get recovered in a short span. Below we have listed a few common symptoms of whiplash. If you are experiencing one or more symptoms, we recommend you to undergo a detailed medical evaluation at the soonest.

Primarily depending on the nature and intensity of symptoms, the whiplash doctor perform multiple diagnostic imaging tests such as MRI or X-ray. Once these tests are performed, they can better identify the root cause of the problem and recommend treatment accordingly. Take a look!

● Difficulty sleeping and poor vision
● Headache, fatigue, and dizziness
● Severe irritation
● Neck soreness and stiffness
● Restricted range of movement in neck and shoulders
● Numbness or burning in the arms
● Pain and aching in the upper back and shoulders
● Inability to concentrate

Treatment of Whiplash

Whiplash treatment commonly depends on the symptoms present as we have mentioned above. Some treatment options may not be effectively tested to figure out efficiency. To determine the causes and management of whiplash, it is important to aware of the patient. The information should predominantly include the root cause of the problem and potential treatments.

Patients should have detailed knowledge regarding the type of injury they are suffering from. Every patient has the capability to recover with the right diagnosis and treatment. If you not familiar with the fundamental information and keep on ignoring the essential symptoms, you will probably develop a chronic whiplash-associated disorder that can further worsen your health condition.

A few years back one common treatment for whiplash was a soft cervical collar carried out for many weeks. The primary goal of the collar was to minimize the range of neck movement to avoid any other potential injuries. Many scholars have suggested that extended immobilization slows down the healing process. In case there is no indication of spinal misalignment, the early range of movement is recommended to improve the condition. Patients who have performed exercises related to an early range of motion have shown tremendous improvements in their symptoms. The treatment primarily involves multiple rotational exercises performed at approximately 10 times per hour.

Moreover, it is also found that excessive rest and immobility may result in more chronic symptoms that can be further worsened. This can be explained due to restricted movement that can result in more pain and stiffness. Immobility can also cause muscle atrophy, poor blood flow to the injured tissues, and the soothing of injured muscles.

Physical therapy is a practical technique to minimize painful movements and strengthen muscles. In addition, occupational therapy plays an important role in returning the patient back to their normal routine. On the other hand, if the patient develops any psychological symptoms such as depression or anxiety, immediate treatment is recommended. Not only it will help you understand the condition better, but at the same time, there are improved chances of recovery from any chronic symptoms.

● Flexion-Distraction: It’s a manipulation technique using hand following a slow movement and pumping action.
● Spinal Manipulation: Smooth thrusting technique is applied to the body to restore the movement of muscles, joints, and tendons. It focuses on the soft tissue to bring back the required motion in the affected areas.
● Therapeutic Massage: The hands-on technique is used to ease muscle tension in the shoulders, back, and neck.
● Instrument-Assisted Therapy: The technique involves using a hand-held instrument to apply a gentle force on the spine. The treatment is essential to people who have injured or degenerative joints. It requires the application of repeated strokes on the damaged tissues.
● Trigger Point Therapy: It involves the application of direct pressure on certain points of the muscles and joints to ease tension and pain.
● Electric Stimulation and Ultrasound: In interferential electrical stimulation, a low-frequency electric current is needed to ease muscle tension which may result in tenderness. On the other hand, ultrasound assists in minimizing swelling, muscle pain, stiffness in the neck, shoulders, and back. The procedure delivers sound waves deep down in the muscle tissues creating a smooth and gentle heat to soothe soft tissues.

Conclusion

The severity of automobile accidents differ from one case to another. If you are involved in a disastrous car accident, remember damage is not done merely to the vehicle or property but your health. The force of impact and direct hit can be extremely damaging to your health whether you can feel it immediately or not. Therefore, we have focused on the important health aspects and what conditions you can go through. If you have any other queries regarding whiplash and associated injuries, please write to us in the comment section below. We would love to hear from you.