Have you received a whiplash diagnosis in the past? How did it make you feel? Whiplash treatment is not an easy procedure.
Don’t let your whiplash go untreated. Whiplash treatment can’t be overlooked. Whiplash is a common injury that affects around 3 million people in the United States every year.
Car accidents don’t have to be severe to produce injury to the spine! Never discount the potential significance of sore necks and sore backs with car accidents. Whiplash is the most widespread pains endured during automobile accidents and often one of the hardest to deal with. Almost 300,000 whiplash injuries happen each year, several at low speeds. It requires just a 2.5 mile-per-hour difference in speed to wound the neck. Although half of all whiplash sufferings are the outcome of rear crashes, they can happen from a collision in any direction. Frontal collisions account for 30 percent of motor car neck pains.
Slight impacts can sprain the spinal ligaments. A sprained ligament is a torn ligament, and unfortunately, they don’t heal too well with traditional treatments.
The Truth About Whiplash?
Whiplash
– is real.
– is serious.
– must be treated properly.
– often leads to long-term problems.
Spine and brain trauma from car accidents are very common, yet today there is still a stigma associated with it.
Symptoms of Whiplash
If you sense a tightening in your shoulders and neck after a car disaster or another incident that clasps your head ahead or backward, you may wonder about whiplash. How do you know if you have it? And if you do, how long will the pain last?
The signs of whiplash are dangerous to dismiss. They can include:
- Stiffness and tenderness of your neck
- Severe headache in the base of your neck
- Tingling in your extremities
- Decreased range of motion
- Pain in your shoulder and arm that could possibly reach down to your hands
- Poor sleep
How long does whiplash last?
A majority of neck discomfort goes off within a few days and, surely more within three months. Studies show that anywhere between 12% and 50% of people still possess chronic neck pain after a year. You are more inclined to retain this lingering discomfort if:
- You have serious pain from the start
- You have neurological signs such as memory loss
- Your discomfort shoots into your fingers or arm
- Pain evolves right after the tragedy
Quick Home Remedies
There is simply no need for a shock if you happen to undergo whiplash — any of these quick home cures will have you on the path to recovery in no time.
Use ice to relieve pain
The way you ice your face or arm when you suffer a blow is the way you should ice your neck when you suffer whiplash. Place an ice-cold press on the neck for only 15 minutes every 2 or 3 hours. This help relieves discomfort and pain.
Support your neck the right way
Because of the tearing of tissues and ligaments in the neck, you need to keep your neck adequately supported and clasped. Pile up a few cushions and keep your neck positioned there in order to give your neck adequate assistance. A neck brace or collar is also incredible for lifting the neck firmly into the posture as the recovery process goes on.
Application of moist heat
One of the indications of whiplash is an inflamed neck. Once the swelling has receded significantly, you can utilize some moist heat to rehabilitate your neck. Wet or warm towels will perform the trick. A cozy bath is also incredible at stimulating the recovery process.
Massage
Massages are always depicted as amenities. Massages are also therapeutic though since they help in lessening a lot of pains and aches. A strained neck can be nicely dealt with an adequate neck massage. An effective and gentle neck massage will loosen up tissues stiffened by injury while also alleviating all the tender scars.
Some quick tips for Whiplash treatment
People don’t seek medication following a car tragedy because they don’t suffer any pain. By far, the common pain to the neck is a whiplash suffering.
The big news is, whiplash should recover on its own if given time. Some of the treatments are:
Pain therapies (over-the-counter or prescription)
- Narcotic pain therapy may be essential with serious whiplash
- A nonsteroidal and anti-inflammatory drug should be a part of the medication if the sufferer is able to take them
Muscle relaxers
- Benzodiazepine therapies such as diazepam may boost muscle tightness and spasm
- Other muscle relaxer medications may also be utilized
- A cervical collar may be utilized for the early few days, but usage should be restricted to the period prescribed
- Restrict movement of the neck and head until muscle tightness and pain is gone.
- Restrict tough workouts such as heavy lifting or sports.
- Physical treatment with a range of exercise, motion, muscle strengthening, electrical stimulation, or ultrasound may be prescribed.
- Non-traditional medical therapies such as chiropractic, acupuncture, or massage may be beneficial for some victims in the medication of whiplash.
Chiropractic
Did you know 90% of headaches are related to neck malfunction? Did you know approx half of all car accident injuries result in concussion and most cases are undiagnosed? Did you know studies show that millions of Americans are suffering from chronic headaches as a direct result of motor vehicle trauma and don’t know it? And, luckily this all can be effectively treated by chiropractic.
Exercise
You can do practices at home to relieve the pain. Try these three to five times a day for a few moments.
- Swivel your neck side to side slowly, sufficient to tighten your muscles but prevent causing pain
- Bend your head side to side, just like you are clasping your phone between your shoulder and ear
- Roll the neck ahead toward the chest and then backward
- Swivel your shoulders in orbits
In case you are still suffering from discomfort after three months, it’s a decent suggestion to inquire your specialist to analyze your situation.
Conclusion
The medical therapy for whiplash relies on the harshness of the wound. Any serious neck injuries related to a spinal cord or bone defect may compel surgical intervention. Soft tissue injuries(muscles, tendons, ligaments) are associated with less severe pains. Medication for soft tissue injury is directed at symptom assistance.
