If you have ever been in a car accident, then you know how shocking and overwhelming the experience can be. In the minutes after the accident, you might be too stunned to fully understand what is going on and feel flustered. Your body is pumping with adrenaline, and you might miss small details as you try to piece together what has happened. When someone asks you, “are you hurt?” you might be tempted to respond reflexively, “I’m fine.” But the shock and stress from the car accident can actually keep you from realizing you have been injured. Whiplash is one of the most common car accident injuries and can have delayed symptoms. You may not start to experience pain or other symptoms until hours or even days after the accident. You should always see a doctor as soon as possible after a car accident to rule out a whiplash injury because you might not notice any symptoms right away.
How Whiplash Affects the Body
A whiplash injury occurs when a sudden, strong force causes your head and neck to snap forward and backward violently. In the event of a car accident, another vehicle may hit yours from behind and cause your body to jolt and jostle around. When your head and neck rapidly jerk forward and backward, this can cause significant stress and strain to your neck muscles. Your neck muscles may stretch out of their normal range of motion or even tear due to the sudden force. Your spine in your neck can also become damaged as the vertebrae and spinal discs that separate them endure such a powerful force and jostling. Just seven vertebrae in your neck hold up and support your head. When you lean your head forward or backward, the tilt can add more weight and pressure to your spine and muscles. If this occurs suddenly, then your body doesn’t have time to prepare and can become injured.
What Whiplash Feels Like
Whiplash can cause a wide range of symptoms that may not become apparent right away. The first thing you may notice after a whiplash injury is a soreness in your neck and upper back. The sudden jerking motion that affected your head and neck can also cause you to feel woozy, lightheaded, or even experience concussion symptoms. The force of impact when another vehicle hits yours can cause serious damage to your head and neck because they are unable to be restrained by safety belts like the rest of your upper body. You might develop a headache or tension in your neck as the shock from the accident starts to wear off. Whiplash can occur even in a minor fender-bender, which is why it’s important to be seen by a doctor as soon as possible. If your whiplash symptoms are delayed, you may not realize you have been injured until more painful and serious symptoms set in.
Delayed Symptoms of Whiplash
Delayed whiplash symptoms can start to develop in the hours or days after the car accident. Here are examples of what delayed symptoms of whiplash might feel like for you.
Neck Pain & Stiffness
The muscles in your neck that were stretched and strained may start to stiffen due to a whiplash injury. This can cause pain and stiffness in your neck, making it more difficult to turn your head from side to side or up and down. Neck pain and stiffness are a common red flag for a whiplash injury, but it can take a while for your muscles to stiffen after this type of injury.
Back Pain & Stiffness
Back pain and stiffness can also occur after a whiplash injury. Even though the whiplash primarily affected your head and neck, symptoms can also occur in your upper back and into your shoulders. Your upper back and shoulders support your head and neck, so any injury or damage can put additional pressure and strain on your back.
Tingling & Numbness in Extremities
The stress and strain on your muscles can cause them to become weak after an injury like whiplash. The muscles in other parts of the body can be affected by a whiplash injury. Delayed whiplash symptoms can cause tingling and numbness when nerves in the neck are impacted by the injury. You may notice a pins and needles sensation that extends into your arms after a whiplash injury.
Severe Headaches
A whiplash injury can lead to severe headaches that last for hours at a time. You might be tempted to ignore a headache after a car accident or assume it is just due to the emotional stress of the experience. However, your head can get shaken up during a car accident, which can lead to painful headaches. Strained neck muscles can also cause radiating pain in your head, leading to severe headache pain.
Dizziness & Blurred Vision
The sudden jolt of your head and neck during a whiplash injury can also lead to dizziness and blurred vision. Also, common symptoms of a concussion, sudden forceful movement of your head can disrupt healthy functioning in your brain and central nervous system, which can lead to you feeling dizzy or notice issues with your vision in the hours after the initial injury occurred.
Trouble Sleeping
A whiplash injury can also cause you to have trouble sleeping. The pain and discomfort from the injury can make it difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position or constantly wake you up in the middle of the night. Headaches can also develop at night and may wake you up from your sleep. A whiplash injury can also cause fatigue, so you may feel frustrated that you can’t get enough quality sleep.
Long-Term Effects of Whiplash
Some untreated whiplash symptoms can last for weeks or even months after the car accident and injury occurred. Never try to tough out an injury after a car accident. You risk developing long-term complications that may end up requiring more serious or invasive treatments. The long-term effects of whiplash can include chronic pain in your neck or back, chronic headaches, and reduced range of motion in your neck. The whiplash injury can cause the muscles, ligaments, and tendons that support your neck to lose their flexibility and strength, which can weaken the area and also make you more susceptible to future injuries. Avoid the risk of long-term or untreated whiplash symptoms by visiting a doctor as soon as possible after a car accident. Even if you are not yet experiencing any symptoms, they will be able to recognize signs of whiplash and get you started on appropriate treatments to help ease your pain and discomfort over the next few days and weeks.
Treatment Options for Whiplash
Your treatment options for whiplash will depend on how the injury has impacted you. A car accident doctor will develop an individualized treatment plan that addresses your specific symptoms and helps get to the root cause of your pain. Here are examples of what treatment can look like for whiplash after a car accident.
Pain Management
A car accident doctor will want to help you manage your pain and discomfort after a whiplash injury. Pain management techniques may include taking over-the-counter medications and applying ice and heat to the affected area. Your doctor will want to identify what areas of your head and neck have been impacted by whiplash so they can target those areas and provide you with solutions for lasting pain relief.
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care provides you with a safe and natural approach to managing your pain and reducing your whiplash symptoms. When you see a car accident chiropractor, you can skip the drugs and instead opt for natural and noninvasive approaches to treating your whiplash injury. Chiropractors use gentle and safe treatment techniques like chiropractic adjustments, therapeutic massage, and soft tissue mobilization to help you recover from a whiplash injury after a car accident. Chiropractic care can also address how whiplash has impacted your whole body and help restore healthy functioning.
Physical Therapy
Your car accident doctor may also recommend physical therapy to help you regain your strength and mobility after a car accident. If you develop stiffness in your neck and experience a reduced range of motion, then a physical therapist can help. They can walk you through stretches and exercises to help you strengthen neck muscles and soft tissues, while also improving your mobility in your neck.
If you have a whiplash injury, visit AICA Orthopedics in College Park for car accident injury treatment. Our team of doctors, chiropractors, and physical therapists work together to provide you with a comprehensive treatment plan for your injuries. We offer diagnostic imaging tests like X-rays and MRIs in the office, so you can get everything you need in one convenient location. Our College Park car accident doctors can help you recover from your whiplash injury and help you avoid the negative long-term effects of whiplash. Get started with our proactive approach to car accident treatment and care at AICA Orthopedics.