Whiplash is a Common Car Accident Injury
But is whiplash dangerous? The answer to that question can only be determined as, “Well, that depends.” It depends on how bad the wreck was, what treatment looked like, if there were previous injuries or not, and other factors.
So, let’s tune in and see what the Car Crash Captain has to say about whiplash. Let’s see how you should be treated, how to heal quickly, and how to proceed with your car accident settlement if you have suffered from this common neck injury.
What Causes Whiplash?
Whiplash can occur in a variety of situations, but it’s most commonly associated with being involved in a car wreck. The sudden backward and forward motion can stretch, or tear, the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the neck.
Modern vehicles are designed to reduce the likelihood of whiplash, but improperly adjusted headrests or other factors can mean that it still happens.
What are the Symptoms of Whiplash?
It is a neck injury, but often injuries in one part of the body show up in other areas. If you have been involved in a wreck and your head whipped around a bunch, you might experience some of these common whiplash symptoms.
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Headaches
- Reduced neck motion
- Shoulder or upper back pain
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Difficulty or painful chewing and swallowing
- Memory and concentration problems
- Tinnitus
Depending on the severity of the whiplash, and if there are other complicating factors, your symptoms could range from mild, to severe. The more severe symptoms can cause a serious impact on our day-to-day life, and can result in further injuries or complications.
How is Whiplash Treated?
The best treatment for whiplash is following your doctor or medical professional’s advice. Only after a thorough assessment can the right course of action be taken.
Your doctor will conduct a physical exam. Looking for redness, swelling, tenderness, and assessing your range of motion.
They may then have you sent in for an MRI. This can look at the soft tissues in the neck and determine if there are tears or other damage.
Once it’s determined how severe your whiplash is, then a treatment plan can be developed. Medication can help alleviate some of the pain you’re in, but then steps need to be taken to help the body heal as well.
- Cold and hot packs can reduce inflammation and encourage blood flow.
- Steroid injections may be and option to help reduce swelling, reduce pain, and hasten healing.
- Plenty of rest and avoiding sudden movements are likely part of the solution.
- For serious cases, surgery may be necessary.
Depending on how severe your whiplash is, it may be just a couple of weeks before you are healed, or symptoms could linger for months and even years.
How Serious is Whiplash?
The severity depends on many factors leading up to the crash. Sometimes whiplash is painful, without being dangerous or serious other than mild discomfort. Sometimes it can be life altering and have complications that last a lifetime.
Factors that influence the severity of your whiplash include:
- Your age
- Your medical history
- How much force you sustained
- How rigidly you follow the treatment plan
Receiving medical treatment right after your car crash will help to reduce the dangers associated with this common injury.
Herbert Law Group Helps Crash Victims
When you have been hit by someone else, you shouldn’t have to worry about anything. When you’re trying to recover from injuries, like whiplash, you need to focus your attention and energy on actually recovering from those injuries.
That is why Herbert Law Group is here.
We deal with Texas car crashes every day. We know what you deserve, we know the compensation you should be awarded, and we are ready to deal with the insurance companies to make sure they’re playing fairly.
Have you been injured in a wreck? Then we should chat about it. Call us at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site, let’s talk about what happened and make sure we can help.