Whiplash from a car accident is a widespread neck injury. Often, victims downplay their whiplash injury, hoping that the symptoms will go away in time. Our lawyers can help you understand what whiplash syndrome is, whether you can get whiplash from a car accident, how to treat whiplash, and how long it takes for whiplash to go away. We can help you understand this type of neck injury and what you can do from a legal standpoint, so drop us a message or call us.
What is whiplash syndrome?
Some call whiplash syndrome a neck strain caused by sudden head movement in a forceful forward, sideward, and backward motion. The abrupt head and neck movement causes the neck muscles and tendons to stretch, and because the movement is rapid, there could be an accompanying muscle and tendon tear. Whiplash also affects the neck’s ligaments, which are stretched and compressed by sudden movement.
Whiplash syndrome symptoms include pain upon neck movement, neck muscle tightness, and reduced neck range of motion due to pain and tightness. Headaches may also be present, often radiating from the skull’s base up to the forehead. In severe cases, nerve impingement may result in shoulder pain, pain that radiates down the extremity, muscle weakness and numbness, and neck spasms.
What is whiplash from a car accident?
It’s not uncommon to suffer from a whiplash injury if you were involved in a rear-end auto accident. The collision will cause your whole body to slam against your seat as your car is pushed forward from the back. It will cause your head to snap back, compressing the structures in this region. As the force moves your car forward, your seatbelt will try to keep you in place. However, this won’t stop your head from accelerating. It will stretch the neck muscles, tendons, and ligaments as your neck flexes. Your seatbelt will not also prevent your head from hitting the steering wheel.
When the car suddenly stops, your head snaps again and hits the headrest. This often results in the sudden compression of neck structures such as nerve roots, nerves, and intervertebral discs.
How do you treat whiplash from a car accident?
In auto accidents like this, you must go to the hospital immediately, so laboratory tests like X-rays and MRI can be performed to assess the damage. Depending upon your injuries and symptoms, you may or may not be asked to stay the night at the hospital.
Treatment for whiplash from a car accident includes pain and anti-inflammatory medications to control pain and swelling. You may also be prescribed a neck brace to prevent undue stress to the neck area.
Physical therapy may also be prescribed to help control pain and improve the neck’s range of motion through gentle stretching and exercises. For a couple of days, you can ice the area for 15 minutes and then apply hot packs to help with the pain and swelling.
How long does it take for whiplash to go away?
The recovery period for whiplash syndrome depends upon the severity of your injuries. Mild cases usually resolve with rest and medications after a few days. The recovery period may take weeks to even months for moderate cases if the damage is extensive and involves not just the neck muscles. Unfortunately, severe whiplash could last for much longer.
Whiplash injuries can affect your daily life and prevent you from doing your regular routines. The pain and other associated symptoms can affect how you perform your personal and job responsibilities. If the doctor prescribed rest, you have no option but to stay off work for a few days to heal. It can affect your finances, especially if your insurance company doesn’t cover some medications and treatment programs.
What can you do?
It’s heartbreaking to suffer from whiplash injury caused by another person’s fault. It’s equally frustrating to pay for your treatment out of your pockets. If this happens to you, you should contact an Eason & Tambornini car accident lawyer in Sacramento as soon as possible to get legal advice. We can help you understand your car accident neck injuries better, advise how you can get help and treatment for whiplash syndrome, and help you understand your recovery options.
