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If you've sustained a whiplash injury, you might be anxious about how long it will take you to feel better. Whiplash injuries can be painful and uncomfortable to live with and sometimes sufferers can exacerbate their injury without intending to.
Read this quick guide on how to make a full recovery from your whiplash injury.
What is Whiplash?
Whiplash is an injury that occurs when the neck muscles, tendons and ligaments are pushed outside their normal range of motion. Often it is a sudden, extreme movement of this type - such as the head being thrust forward and backwards like the motion of a whip - this results in whiplash, e.g, during motor vehicle accidents, sporting activities, accidental falls and assault. Repetitive stress and chronic stress involving the neck can also be causes.
What are the Symptoms?
Most symptoms of whiplash become apparent within 24 hours of injury.
These include the following:
- neck pain
- neck swelling
- headaches, most commonly this will occur at the base of the skull
- difficulty moving the neck and stiffness
- pain shooting from the neck into the shoulder or neck
- dizziness
- blurred vision
- fatigue
Seek Medical Advice
If you have sustained an injury which caused your whiplash, it is essential that you contact an Emergency Department to be checked out by a physician. This is because there are many severe risks associated with neck injuries so self-diagnosis is not recommended. For other causes, it is also wise to be seen by a doctor before any attempt to self-treat so a correct diagnosis can be made.
Treatment for Whiplash
Short term
- Whiplash will normally cause inflammation of the soft tissues in the neck. To reduce this inflammation, apply a towel wrapped in ice to the area of pain for 20 minutes at a time. This can be carried out for the first 24 hours after injury or until the pain subsides. Heat treatments that are applied to the neck are helpful at a later time to help relax the muscles - especially before performing rehabilitation exercises or stretches recommended by your physician.
- Take acetaminophen for pain relief or ibuprofen which also has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Bed rest and an avoidance of excessive neck strain may also be recommended for a period following the injury.
Long term
- Your physician is likely to recommend gentle stretching exercises to help restore the neck's range of motion. They may include neck strengthening exercises to help rehabilitate muscles and prevent future injuries.
- Depending on the severity of your injury, you may be referred to a physical therapist to help you cope with pain and help restore the health of your neck tissues and muscles. The physical therapist may introduce further exercise and stretches or use ice, heat or ultrasound treatments. They may also perform specialized neck massage which has been known to help whiplash injuries.
- For severe cases of whiplash which include acute pain, prescription painkillers may be used. The patient may also be offered a corticosteroid medicine or lidocaine - a numbing medicine - to relieve muscle spasms. Muscle relaxants may also be prescribed.
- Acupuncture has been shown to relieve persistent neck pains caused by strain. This may be an alternative treatment choice for some patients.
- Chiropractic has been likened to physical therapy and may be pursued by the patient. It pairs spinal manipulation with exercise and takes a holistic approach to treatment.
Outlook
Most whiplash injuries are resolved completely within six weeks of injury. However, some sufferers experience symptoms for a year afterwards and a further 18% are estimated to have severe injuries that cause discomfort beyond a year. It is always recommended - before and after injury - that good back care practices are followed to prevent injury and speed up recovery times of existing problems. These include adopting good posture techniques, using good back supports when at your desk or in the car, and also undertaking regular exercise to keep back muscles strong and flexible.
Rachel Clarkson
Rachel Clarkson is the founder of the Back Pain Blog: http://www.trucomfort.com/blog
Read this quick guide on how to make a full recovery from your whiplash injury.
What is Whiplash?
Whiplash is an injury that occurs when the neck muscles, tendons and ligaments are pushed outside their normal range of motion. Often it is a sudden, extreme movement of this type - such as the head being thrust forward and backwards like the motion of a whip - this results in whiplash, e.g, during motor vehicle accidents, sporting activities, accidental falls and assault. Repetitive stress and chronic stress involving the neck can also be causes.
What are the Symptoms?
Most symptoms of whiplash become apparent within 24 hours of injury.
These include the following:
- neck pain
- neck swelling
- headaches, most commonly this will occur at the base of the skull
- difficulty moving the neck and stiffness
- pain shooting from the neck into the shoulder or neck
- dizziness
- blurred vision
- fatigue
Seek Medical Advice
If you have sustained an injury which caused your whiplash, it is essential that you contact an Emergency Department to be checked out by a physician. This is because there are many severe risks associated with neck injuries so self-diagnosis is not recommended. For other causes, it is also wise to be seen by a doctor before any attempt to self-treat so a correct diagnosis can be made.
Treatment for Whiplash
Short term
- Whiplash will normally cause inflammation of the soft tissues in the neck. To reduce this inflammation, apply a towel wrapped in ice to the area of pain for 20 minutes at a time. This can be carried out for the first 24 hours after injury or until the pain subsides. Heat treatments that are applied to the neck are helpful at a later time to help relax the muscles - especially before performing rehabilitation exercises or stretches recommended by your physician.
- Take acetaminophen for pain relief or ibuprofen which also has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Bed rest and an avoidance of excessive neck strain may also be recommended for a period following the injury.
Long term
- Your physician is likely to recommend gentle stretching exercises to help restore the neck's range of motion. They may include neck strengthening exercises to help rehabilitate muscles and prevent future injuries.
- Depending on the severity of your injury, you may be referred to a physical therapist to help you cope with pain and help restore the health of your neck tissues and muscles. The physical therapist may introduce further exercise and stretches or use ice, heat or ultrasound treatments. They may also perform specialized neck massage which has been known to help whiplash injuries.
- For severe cases of whiplash which include acute pain, prescription painkillers may be used. The patient may also be offered a corticosteroid medicine or lidocaine - a numbing medicine - to relieve muscle spasms. Muscle relaxants may also be prescribed.
- Acupuncture has been shown to relieve persistent neck pains caused by strain. This may be an alternative treatment choice for some patients.
- Chiropractic has been likened to physical therapy and may be pursued by the patient. It pairs spinal manipulation with exercise and takes a holistic approach to treatment.
Outlook
Most whiplash injuries are resolved completely within six weeks of injury. However, some sufferers experience symptoms for a year afterwards and a further 18% are estimated to have severe injuries that cause discomfort beyond a year. It is always recommended - before and after injury - that good back care practices are followed to prevent injury and speed up recovery times of existing problems. These include adopting good posture techniques, using good back supports when at your desk or in the car, and also undertaking regular exercise to keep back muscles strong and flexible.
Rachel Clarkson
Rachel Clarkson is the founder of the Back Pain Blog: http://www.trucomfort.com/blog