Whiplash Management – How to Deal with the Most Common Car Accident Injury
Car accidents happen every day. According to recent studies, more than 6 million car accidents happen just in the US each year. These accidents cause around 37 thousand deaths annually. With more and more traffic coming on the roads, the statistics continue to grow.
You might not realize this but even the most minor accidents in which two vehicles collide with no visible damage to the passengers and car can be daunting. Whiplash is an injury that every other accident victim suffers from.
Doctors say that while you might not see any visible damage to the outside, there is a huge possibility that the soft tissues in your neck are torn. This happens when the neck experiences a rapid to and fro jerk.
Symptoms of whiplash
The initial symptoms do not even arrive after a few hours of whiplash. However, the most commonly reported symptoms of whiplash are:
- Reduced range of motion in the neck
- Tingling and numbness in the shoulders and arms
- Headache
- Nausea
- Difficulty moving the neck
You might experience some additional symptoms in case of severe injury. Symptoms occur after 24 to 48 hours of the accident.
How to take care of whiplash?
Symptoms of whiplash start appearing a few hours after the accident takes place. The standard time for the symptoms to appear is 48 hours. However, they can come a little late or early as well. Immediate whiplash injury treatment is compulsory.
Let’s discuss a few points that indicate how to deal better with whiplash and permanently remove its symptoms.
Use compressions
Hot or cold compressions can help you reduce the pain, inflammation, and swelling caused by whiplash. A hot pack is generally used to soothe the muscular region whereas the cold pack helps in reducing swelling and inflammation. It can also help you numb pain.
Over-the-counter medicines
Over-the-counter medicines can help a person seek relief from the pain. You are going to feel much better with pain killers but that’s only a concealing agent, not a whiplash eliminator.
Visiting physician
Your doctor will help you diagnose the affected area. They usually ask questions about the accident, it’s the intensity and whether you got any other injuries or not. Patients are required to answer everything honestly so that a proper diagnosis and treatment can be conducted. Once the initial examination is over, they might perform some imaging tests like an x-ray or CT scan to identify the source region. Doctors normally prescribe pain killers and recommend alternate care.
Alternate Care
The most effective whiplash injury treatment is alternate care. Seeking a drugless attempt to identify the root cause of pain and then eliminating it completely is the way to go. Many people choose chiropractic care while others, opt for physical therapy. Both of them are very effective. The chiropractor uses spinal adjustment techniques to remove deformities and pain. Physical therapist, however, helps you get rid of the pain by exercises and pain management techniques. Both of these alternate care practices do not require any form of medicine. A combination of chiropractic care with physical therapy and pain relief medications can help the patient and prevent the transformation of whiplash in chronic illness.
Conclusion
Whiplash is a common issue after car accidents. Even the most minor accidents with no initial symptoms can prove to be quite challenging for people. It is important to seek medical care and add alternate medical treatment in your life as well. Doctors also recommend alternate care like chiropractic adjustments or physical therapy to eliminate the roots of the injury. Make sure that you visit your therapists until they give you a green signal about your health.