Whiplash Symptoms
| Click on one of these headings below to take you to that part of the page |
| What constitutes a Whiplash Injury |
| Symptoms of Whiplash |
| How to diagnose if you have a Whiplash Injury |
| How to treat a Whiplash Injury |
| Whiplash Injury Complications |
| How can I prevent Whiplash Injuries |
| Whiplash - What can you do about it |
What Constitutes a Whiplash Injury
A whiplash injury is caused when your head receives a sudden jolt and moves suddenly backwards, forwards, or from side to side. Having any type of road traffic accident can lead to whiplash injuries; this is because of the sudden forces that are exerted on the neck muscles due to the sudden stopping forces involved in a collision.
Whiplash symptoms are normally associated with any type of accident involving one or more vehicles and occur when the soft tissue in the spine is stretched and strained after the body suffers a sudden jerk or jolt. The head then moves violently away from the body and the force of the impact makes the neck move beyond its normal range of movement to such an extent that the ligaments, (Ligaments are the fibrous connective tissues that link two bones together at a joint.) tendons (Tendons are tough, fibrous bands that connect muscles to bone) and muscles in the neck are damaged by being overstretched.
Whiplash injuries are not just a function of a road traffic accident; you can receive whiplash symptoms from a sudden blow to the head as you may receive in contact sports such as boxing, rugby to strenuous physical activities such as diving. Or by being hit on the head by a heavy object or even a slip, trip or fall where the head is suddenly jerked backwards.
Also a little know fact is that even collisions that happen at a slow speed can still cause whiplash injuries.
Whiplash causing neck sprain
If you have received a whiplash injury, it means that the ligaments in your neck have been sprained. A sprain happens as mentioned above, when a ligament is overstretched. Although the ligament is not broken, a strain can often take as long to heal, up to several months.
Common whiplash symptoms are headaches, stiffness and a temporary loss of movement in the neck. Neck pain, muscle spasms and pain in the shoulders or arms can also occur.
Symptoms of Whiplash
Whiplash symptoms do not always appear straight away after a road traffic accident. Any bruising or swelling to the neck muscles can take awhile before you become aware of the problem.
Typically it can take anywhere between 6 and 12 hours for whiplash symptoms to appear, with the pain and stiffness often appearing to be a lot worse the day after the whiplash injury was received. You may find that the pain and discomfort can increase in the days straight after the road traffic accident.
The most common whiplash symptoms are:
- Headaches
- A stiffness in the neck
- Pains in the neck
- A swelling of the neck
- Tenderness along the back of the neck
- A loss of movement or a reduction in movement in the neck
Other whiplash symptoms can include:
- Pain in your lower back
- Feeling dizzy
- Feeling tired
- A difficulty in swallowing
- Muscle spasms
- Having double vision or blurred vision
- A ringing noise permanently in your ears, otherwise known as Tinnitus
- The sensation that you are moving or spinning otherwise known as Vertigo
The good news is that following a road traffic accident, whiplash symptoms such as any dizziness, blurred vision, headaches and / or problems when it comes to swallowing should only last for a short while. If they persist then it is advisable to seek the advice of your GP.
A GP or hospital should be notified if anyone who is suffering from whiplash injuries experiences either periods of unconscious or memory loss after a road traffic accident or severe pain in the back of the head or pins and needles in their shoulders or arms. Also look out for symptoms of poor concentration and irritability.
How to diagnose if you have a Whiplash Injury
Your GP will normally diagnose whiplash injuries from the information you provide him with as to what the symptoms are that you are suffering from and how the injury occurred.
You should always visit your GP if you have recently been involved in a road traffic accident and received a sudden blow to your head and as a result of which you are experiencing pain and / or stiffness in your neck.
You will be pleased to note that tests and scans are not usually required in order to diagnose whiplash symptoms as whiplash cannot be seen on an X-ray, Computerised Tomography (CT) scan or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans. These types of scan are normally only recommended if another problem, such as a spinal injury, is suspected.
How to treat a Whiplash Injury
Initial treatment of Whiplash Injuries concentrates on reducing the pain and stiffness in the neck and allowing the damaged area to heal. Anyone suffering from Whiplash Symptoms should normally notice a marked improvement in their whiplash symptoms after just a few days.
In 60% of all whiplash cases the patient's whiplash symptoms have improved quite significantly or even disappeared completely within one to four weeks. However for the other 40% it can take a few months before all signs of their whiplash symptoms have disappeared, and a small minority will still have pain and a stiffness in the neck a long after their road traffic accident.
Described below are a number of treatments that can ease your whiplash symptoms.
Apply an ice pack to your neck injury
Try and apply as soon as possible after the whiplash injury has occurred an ice pack to the base of your neck you will find that this will help reduce any inflammation / swelling.
But firstly make sure you wrap the ice pack in a towel to provide a protective barrier, do not apply ice directly on to the skin and apply it for only 10 to 30 minutes at a time.
Taking painkillers
You will find that taking painkillers such as paracetamol will relieve or ease the pain caused by your whiplash injury. You may want to consider taking painkillers on a regular basis rather than only when the pain is severe. However please read the instructions on the packet and do not exceed the recommended dose. You will find that this course of action may well help the pain from getting worse.
Ibuprofen which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) will help to reduce any swelling or inflammation in your neck.
I can not stress strongly enough that when you are taking painkillers, always follow the instructions on the leaflet that comes with the medicine. Please note that NSAID's may not be suitable for you if you are suffering from asthma, high blood pressure (hypertension), kidney failure or heart failure. If you do have one of these conditions then check with your GP or pharmacist or if you're taking any other form of medication.
If paracetamol and NSAIDs do not relieve the pain, your GP may well prescribe a stronger painkiller, such as codeine. Your GP may recommend taking paracetamol and codeine together.
Exercise your neck
It is important to try to move your neck normally after a whiplash injury. However if the pain in your neck is severe, you may be better to rest your neck for a few days, until the pain eases.
After the pain has eased, continue with your normal daily activities and try and exercise your neck gently so that it doesn't become stiff. Below I have described some exercises that will help relieve the pain and stiffness in your neck and back of head.
Go to a wall or door and stand against it with your head facing forward and start to move just your eyes as if you were looking at the two, four, eight, and ten o'clock positions. Repeat this a few times. The reason behind this is that your eye movement causes a slight movement in some deep muscles in the back of the head.
Next, take a step forward and perform the following movements.
- Move the back of your head carefully forward as if you are taking a bow, and then return it to the original starting position with your head straight and facing forward.
- Then draw your chin in towards your neck and bend your head gently forward. Then return your chin to the starting position. Now bend your head backwards, try to bend it far enough, so that you can look at the ceiling before returning it to the starting position.
- Now tilt your head sideways, so your right ear is near your right shoulder and if you can try to maintain your glance at a fixed point in front of you and preferably at eye level. Then return your head to the starting position. Then repeat this movement but with your head now tilted to the other side.
- Now turn your head as if you were trying to look backwards over your shoulder, first to the right and then to the left. Try and imagine you are following a horizontal line on the wall in front of you at eye level.
Maintain a good upright posture
Try maintaining a good, upright posture - this can be done by keeping your back straight while you're sitting, standing and walking and this can help prevent the pain and stiffness in your neck from getting worse.
Try supporting your head with a firm pillow, again this will help you to maintain a good posture whilst you are sleeping.joints and muscles, such as back and neck problems and sports or work injuries.
Consider physiotherapy
Consider going to a physiotherapist, as they may well be able to help the pain you are suffering in your neck, by applying treatments such as massage and manipulation. They will also be able to give you advice on further neck exercises that you can use to help relieve the pain and stiffness in your neck.
Osteopathy
You may want to consider Osteopathy instead. Osteopathy uses manipulation to treat conditions caused by problems with the nerves, joints and muscles, such as back and neck problems and sports or work injuries.
Osteopathy is only available in some areas and, if it is available, you will need to be referred by your GP. Your GP may suggest using osteopathy alongside more traditional treatments and medicines.
Whiplash Injury Complications
As mentioned above, in a few cases the symptoms from your whiplash injury can become chronic and last for more than six months. When you get prolonged pain for a long period of time then it can make your day to day life difficult because you are no longer able to neither enjoy going about your day to day business nor pursue your leisure activities, it can even lead to problems with your working life and all these can in some cases lead to anxiety and depression. If this describes you then you need to see your GP straightaway.
Should I drive whilst suffering from whiplash symptoms?
We recommend that you do not drive if you are suffering from whiplash Injuries such as neck pain or you have a stiffness in your neck that prevents you from turning your head quickly.
How can I prevent Whiplash Injuries
You can never eliminate the risk of whiplash injuries however you can reduce their effects by correctly adjusting the headrests in your vehicle. This may help to prevent whiplash by stopping your head from moving as far backwards however it is impossible to prevent your head moving forwards or sideways. See What can you do about it article below.
Please note that this is not a medical site, the information above was brought to you by reproducing information courtesy of NHS Choices and Net Doctor. Any treatments for whiplash symptoms that are discussed should not be self-administered as it may make your whiplash injury worse. It is this sites advice that you should always consult your GP or medical practioner before taking any action to alleviate whiplash pain.
There is further information available at: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/whiplash/Pages/Introdution.aspx
Whiplash - What can you do about it?
"Whatcar" conducted a survey that showed that nearly two-thirds of drivers are risking serious injury and disability because they haven't set their car's head restraints properly.
Their research, that was carried out by the road safety testing institute Thatcham, shows that 63% of drivers are making themselves vulnerable to whiplash injury. They surveyed over a thousand drivers and their vehicles, and found that only 25% of men and 43% of women had their head restraint in the correct position.
It is a fact that each year, around 250,000 motorists suffer whiplash injuries, and of these some 25,000 are left with some form of permanent disability. Rear-end collisions account for 46% of whiplash injuries, compared with just 18% for front-end collisions.
The head restraint should be viewed by the driver and front seat passenger as been every bit as important as their seat belt - yet people seem oblivious as to how to use it properly,' said Matthew Avery, Thatcham's crash lab manager.
To set your head restraint in the ideal position, it should be level with or above the top of your head, and as close to the back of your head as possible. Check the position of your head rest today, because you just never know when you could be involved in a non-fault road traffic accident.
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