Did you know that whiplash can result from an impact of just 10 miles an hour?
Here we will talk about the most common symptoms of whiplash, why immediate treatment is essential and how you can speed up recovery.
Whiplash often refers to a neck injury that comes from a sharp sudden motion of the head being thrown forward or back. It most often happens after a car accident, but sometimes it can be the result of a fall.
What Is Whiplash? Causes, Symptoms and What to Expect
Whiplash can also be thought of as a collection of symptoms, including:
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Frequent headaches
- Pain and muscle spasms in your shoulders
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Back pain
When abrupt kinetic energy gets transferred into your body, it can result in bruising, micro tears in muscles and ligaments, and damage to your joints and even spinal discs. Luckily, whiplash is generally temporary and is almost always easily treated, and you’re likely to see improvement within a couple of months.
Why Seeking Medical Attention Is Crucial
The effects of whiplash often come later and you’re likely to not feel much pain immediately, due to a natural adrenaline rush that puts your body into high alert mode. If you leave an accident feeling nothing more than shaken up, it’s still important to seek medical attention. Neurological changes or injuries as a result of whiplash are rare, but it’s important to rule them out to avoid problems later.
Top Whiplash Treatments
Stay mobile. Whiplash injuries used to be treated by immobilising the neck with a brace – you may have seen this in films or on TV. But this is exactly what we’d advise not to do! Keeping as much movement and flexibility as possible is essential for healing a whiplash injury, even if it’s only minimal. Make time to regularly move your head, stretch your neck and roll your shoulders to keep your muscles strong and speed up recovery.
Try acupuncture. Several studies have shown that acupuncture has significant clinical value in reducing the pain and stiffness associated with whiplash. Acupuncture needles are able to get right to the source of the pain and can have an impact on your injury at the deepest level. If you’d like to know more about acupuncture at Sundial Clinic, read our blog about it here: https://sundialclinics.co.uk/treatments/acupuncture/acupuncture-everything-you-need-to-know/
Use ice. If you’re suffering from an injury, applying a cold pack, or ice wrapped in a towel, is a quick and easy way to relieve pain and decrease swelling. It also poses less risks than relying on painkillers. If you’d like to know more about when to use ice and heat for pain and injuries, read our quick fire guide here: https://sundialclinics.co.uk/treatments/physiotherapy/ice-or-heat-which-is-better-for-pain/
Come and see us at Sundial Clinic. Our chiropractors and physiotherapist are experts at treating whiplash and injuries to joints, discs, muscles and ligaments.
If you’d like to know more, book an appointment with us today.