How to Know if You Have Whiplash

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Being in a car accident is terrifying. In just a few seconds, your entire life changes. In the aftermath of an accident, most people check themselves for injuries. They have a sense of relief when they see they can walk and haven’t suffered any apparent major damage.

As the days go by, they may start to feel a tightening in their neck and shoulders. They remember that during the accident, their head snapped forward or backward quickly. They may not be in as good of shape as they had thought. In fact, they may have experienced whiplash.

What Causes Whiplash?

If you have lived through a scenario like the one mentioned above, you may have visited an auto accident chiropractor in Jonesboro, GA. The doctor may have told you that you have whiplash.

The term "whiplash" is often linked to car accidents. However, physical abuse, sports injuries, or just being punched can cause whiplash. Whiplash is an intense flexing and extending of the neck. It is like the movement your head goes through when you nod.

With whiplash, the movement is so intense that it damages the structures of your neck. This includes muscles, ligaments, and nerves. Small tears in the neck can lead to inflammatory substances being released. Therefore, whiplash victims experience pain and swelling.

What Are the Symptoms of Whiplash?

You may experience the pain of whiplash immediately following the injury. Or your symptoms may appear days later. Whiplash victims usually experience:

• Anxiety

• Decreased range of motion

• Fatigue

• Headache

• Memory disturbances

• Muscle spasms

• Pain

• Stiff neck

How Do You Know If You Have Whiplash?

No matter how minor the crash may have seemed, you will need to recuperate. This includes recuperating physically and emotionally.

A medical professional will need to examine you. They will first do a physical exam. Depending on what they see, they may order an MRI, CT scan, or x-ray. Unfortunately, most whiplash victims experience injuries in structures that are too small to show up on these tests.

You may experience pain, swelling, and other whiplash symptoms even if nothing shows up on your test results. In fact, pain and stiffness are the primary ways of identifying whiplash victims.

Are There Things That Increase the Chances of a Person Getting Whiplash?

Certain people have an increased chance of having whiplash after an accident. If you are hit from behind, if you are young, or if you are a woman, your chances of whiplash after an accident increase. If your job requires you to do monotonous work, your neck muscles were probably tight before the accident. This increases your chances of getting whiplash. If your car was fully stopped when you were hit from behind, your chances of getting whiplash increase.

How Long Do Whiplash Symptoms Last?

For most people, the neck pain will disappear in as little as a few days or as much as three months. Unfortunately, between 12 and 50 percent of people have chronic neck pain for years. A person’s chances of having chronic neck pain after an accident are increased if:

• The pain of the experience from the outset is intense

• The pain develops immediately following the accident

• The accident is accompanied by neurological symptoms, including memory loss

• They experience radiating pain that extends to their arms or fingers

The more severe the accident, the more severe your pain after the injury is likely to be. Serious accidents produce higher levels of anxiety, which can turn an acute neck problem into a chronic issue.

How Is Whiplash Treated?

Anti-inflammatory medication and muscle relaxers will be given. It is important to note that medications do not cure whiplash. They can ease the initial pain and improve mobility quickly. However, physical therapy, stretching, and strengthening the damaged muscles are keys for long-term recovery. It is rare for whiplash patients to be given neck collars. Most medical professionals prefer to keep the muscles and joints moving as opposed to immobilizing them.

Living with Whiplash

It is important to get medical care in the aftermath of an accident. Qualified medical professionals, like chiropractors, can document the injuries you sustained, draw up accurate records for your attorney and insurance company, and provide the medical care that puts you on the path to recovery.