What You Need to Know About Whiplash

One of the most common injuries sustained due to vehicle accidents is whiplash. This condition can appear after the initial incident and can last weeks and months after the crash. Unfortunately, people living with whiplash can be in significant pain that can affect their daily tasks and work life.

Here’s what you need to know about whiplash.

How It Happens

Whiplash is a neck injury that happens when the neck moves back and forth rapidly, like the cracking of a whip. Common in rear-end collisions, whiplash can affect more than just the immediate neck area. 

Who It Affects

Whiplash can affect the driver of a vehicle involved in a collision. However, the condition can also happen to any passenger that was in the car too.

Symptoms To Look For

Whiplash can be especially tricky, as it doesn’t always show itself in the immediate aftermath of an accident. Instead, the adrenaline and other emotions from being involved in an accident can mask the pain and other symptoms associated with whiplash. It is quite common for the patient to not even recognize the stiffness and soreness associated with the condition until 24-48 hours after the incident.

In addition to stiffness and soreness, whiplash can cause nausea, headaches, fatigue, and even loss of range of motion.

Treatment

Whiplash treatment has the most successful results when the condition is recognized and diagnosed early. This way, the patient does not have to contend with unmanaged pain. Physicians will work with the patient to first get the pain under control and then to use medications to decrease inflammation. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and chiropractic care are also used to slowly increase range of motion and decrease undesirable side effects.

Whiplash can cause long-term complications without proper medical support and follow-up. If you have been injured in a car accident that left you with whiplash, you may be entitled to compensation to support you during your recovery.

Call the team at Grewer Law to tell us more about your situation.