Bad Accident? Here’s What to Know About Whiplash

Whiplashes are serious, so make sure you recognize these symptoms for speedy treatment.

Unfortunately, traffic accidents happen each and every day, with many causing injuries to drivers and passengers. One of the most common traumas due to a vehicle crash is whiplash, a painful injury to the neck and upper spine. According to one government study, around 1 million cases of whiplash occur each year in the U.S. as the result of a car accident.

Although car crashes are the top cause of whiplash, this injury can also be caused by a contact sport, such as football, or a bad fall. Women and older adults are more vulnerable to whiplash. If you’ve been in an accident or have experienced a brutal sports hit, knowing the symptoms of whiplash can help your doctor develop a treatment plan to alleviate the discomfort quickly and strengthen your neck. 

What is whiplash?

Rear-end car crashes are the most frequent cause of whiplash, although high-contact sports like football can also cause it. When a person is struck hard from behind, they may experience a forceful and quick back-and-forth motion of the head and neck. This damages the bones, muscles, ligaments, and nerves in the neck, causing pain and stiffness as well as a limited range of motion. Headaches and tenderness in the shoulder, upper back, or arms are other possible indicators of whiplash, too.

Other symptoms may include blurred vision, ringing in the ears, and trouble sleeping. Many of these symptoms mimic a pinched nerve in the neck. However, symptoms of whiplash typically follow an accident or trauma.

Whiplash can be mild to severe. Diagnosis entails a physical examination by a doctor to determine the degree of pain and tenderness in the neck and its mobility. Imaging tests, such as an X-ray, MRI, or CT scan, can rule out other conditions or assess tissue damage. Since neck pain can be caused by several conditions, including arthritis, it’s important to get an exact diagnosis to pinpoint the root cause of your discomfort.

Treating whiplash

The severity of the injury dictates therapy options. Whiplash injury healing times can range from a few days to weeks. Here are the types of treatments your doctor may tell you to participate in during that time:

• Rest. After the initial trauma, rest for a day or two. 
• Ice and heat therapy. For the first 10 to 12 days, apply ice to the neck. After that, a warm compress can help speed blood flow to the area and promote tissue healing.
• Medication. A variety of medications can help reduce pain and stiffness. Over-the-counter pain reducers, including Tylenol and ibuprofen, can manage mild to moderate whiplash pain. More severe pain can be treated with prescription pain medications, muscle relaxants (for short-term use), and shots of numbing medications into the neck area.
• Exercise and physical therapy. Physical movement can improve the range of motion. Gentle exercises to encourage neck movement, such as rotating the neck from side to side or bending the neck toward the chest, can help. A physical therapist can also develop exercises specifically for whiplash rehab.
• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or TENS, administers a mild electrical current to the nerve endings through the skin to ease the pain.
• Radiofrequency nerve ablation. Radiofrequency heat applied to targeted nerves helps stop the nerves from sending out pain signals. 
• Immobilization. Immobilizing the neck in a foam brace keeps your head and neck aligned so the weight of your head is lifted from your neck muscles. It also prevents damage to the vertebrae in the spinal cord. However, health practitioners differ on how the collar should stay on. Some recommend 72 hours at most while others say it should be worn for three hours each day for a few weeks. Your doctor will make that decision.
• Surgery. If the whiplash involves torn ligaments or fractured vertebrae, surgery may be required to stabilize the spine and prevent further damage. However, surgery only happens in rare instances.

Whiplash can be painful and throw you off your routine for weeks, but it is treatable. Take care to stay safe — either on the road or during a sporting event.

We’re the pain-reducing specialists

As a major sports medicine center, the physicians at New York Bone & Joint Specialists have the expertise to treat all types of orthopedic injuries, including whiplash. If you’ve been in a bad accident and suspect you’ve suffered whiplash, give us a call and schedule your appointment today.