843-824-CARE
Whiplash is one of the most common injuries that can occur after a car accident. Especially when a car is rear-ended, your neck and head can suddenly be thrown forwards and backwards. Because of the speed at which your head and neck is thrown and forced into this particular range of motion, the chance of muscle and tissue damage is higher. This can then cause moderate to severe neck and back pain.
Symptoms
Other symptoms of whiplash include:
- Neck and upper back pain
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Decreased range of movement
- Feeling of “pins and needles”
- Ringing in the ears Concentration and memory disorders
- Blurred vision Treatment
If you think you may have whiplash, here are a few treatment options that you can expect from visiting a doctor according to Mayo Clinic:
1. Rest.
2. Ice or heat. Apply ice or heat to the neck for 15 minutes up to six times a day.
3. Over-the-counter pain medications. Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), often can control mild to moderate whiplash pain.
4. Prescription painkillers. People with more severe pain may benefit from short-term treatment with prescription pain relievers.
5. Muscle relaxants. These drugs may control pain and help restore normal sleep if pain prevents you from sleeping well at night.
6. Injections. An injection of lidocaine (Xylocaine) — a numbing medicine — into painful muscle areas may be used to decrease pain so that you can do physical therapy.
Schedule your whiplash care appointment today!