People involved in car accidents almost always suffer from a sprained neck. This injury can be painful and take some time to heal, and you may want to reach out to one of our personal injury lawyers for legal advice. Our lawyers can help you understand the causes of a sprained neck, its symptoms, how to treat it, and, more importantly, how long it takes for a sprained neck to heal after a car accident. If the vehicular accident resulted from another party’s negligence, our lawyers can give you legal advice on what to do next, so give us a call.
What is the cause of a sprained neck?
The cervical spine provides the framework of the head and neck region. It is where the neck muscles, tendons, and ligaments attach. They all work together to stabilize the head to the neck and the neck to the shoulder region in an upright and relaxed position. They also work together to provide smooth neck movement in flexion, extension, rotation, and side bending.
In vehicular accidents, your head and neck will accelerate and decelerate quickly due to the sudden collision. The powerful external force from the crash will cause your head to swing forward and suddenly forcefully snap backward.
Can you imagine what happens to your neck muscles? There will be a sudden elongation and abnormal stretching of the neck structures, leading to the tearing of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It could also damage other neck structures.
What are the symptoms of a sprained neck?
The most common symptom of a sprained neck is painful neck movements. If there is pain upon movement, the vehicular accident victim tends to protect the neck and avoid movement. It will often lead to neck stiffness that can spread not only to the head and neck region but also down the upper back, shoulders, and upper arms. Any movement can also trigger shooting pain that radiates up to the head and causes headaches or radiating pain with numbness and tingling that shoots down the arm to the fingers.
If you’re experiencing this type of pain, you must visit your physician immediately. Shooting and radiating pain could mean the nerves and nerve roots’ involvement due to a cervical bone fracture or a slipped or ruptured disc. It’s especially problematic if symptoms of headache, dizziness, nausea, and motor problems develop.
How do you treat a sprained neck?
Victims of major vehicular accidents are treated in the hospital. If the car accident you were involved in is mild, you may still be required to stay in the hospital for overnight observation.
Treatments for a sprained neck include pain, anti-inflammatory drugs, and hot and cold compression. You may also be prescribed a neck brace to protect the neck muscles. Your physician may order you to undergo physical therapy for gentle neck exercises to prevent muscle stiffness and improve your range of motion.
These can be costly, especially if your insurance doesn’t cover your physical therapy. You must pay out of your pocket to get the proper medical attention you need to heal. If you have to take time off from work because of the pain, this will also mean lost income.
How long does it take for a sprained neck to heal after a car accident?
Your recovery period after sustaining a sprained neck from a car accident depends upon a lot of factors – your age, the severity of the injury, the severity of the symptoms, and existing conditions like arthritis. The older you are, the more severe your injuries and symptoms are, and the presence of medical conditions can prolong your recovery period. It will mean more suffering, more days off from work, and a higher loss of income.
Because you will need monitoring of your condition, you must go in for regular checkups and routine laboratory exams like X-rays. All these can take a toll on your finances.
What can you do?
You don’t need to suffer silently and carry the additional expenses alone. Call us if another party’s negligence caused your neck sprain. We’ll help you understand a sprained neck’s causes, symptoms, treatment options, and recovery period. An Eason & Tambornini auto accident attorney in Sacramento will help you file a personal injury claim against the negligent driver and get financial help during your recovery period. Don’t hesitate to give us a call to talk to one of our lawyers about your sprained neck.
