Going over a minor bump while behind the wheel can cause your body to shake. So, when car accident victims take a hit to the rear end of their vehicle, there is a pretty good chance that their neck jerked back and forth. This impact can cause a series of injuries known as whiplash.
In order to heal from whiplash, you’ll need to know the specific injuries that you’ve developed due to impact of the crash you were involved in. From there, following a medical professional’s advice is always better than creating your own treatment plan.
Signs of whiplash
One of the first things you should know about whiplash, is that faint pain should be a large enough signal for you to visit your doctor. Specifically, whiplash victims often experience neck, shoulder, back and arm pain. It might feel like there is stiffness in your neck that makes it difficult to move it as you normally would. You might also experience headaches, dizziness, vision issues or ringing in your ears. If you experience one or more of these symptoms, then it’s crucial to get a professional diagnosis.
Treatment for whiplash
The severity of your whiplash injuries may be difficult to determine on your own. But you shouldn’t resort to lying in bed for hours on end. In fact, resting for too long can prevent a speedy recovery and make whiplash a chronic issue for you. A more effective treatment often involves range of motion exercises several times an hour within the first few days after the crash. Physical therapy can also help victims learn which exercises they should continue and which movements to avoid.
During short-term recovery or if your whiplash injuries are severe, it may disrupt your mental health in addition to your physical health. You may experience depression, anxiety, stress or post-traumatic stress disorder. So, seeing a therapist who specializes in working with injury or chronic illness patients might also help you deal with your injury.
A well-rounded treatment might be costly, but it’s vital to ward off recurring symptoms. Thankfully, accident victims can seek medical compensation and damages for pain and suffering.
