You’re driving down the road when suddenly, a car comes up behind you and slams into your car. Perhaps they were speeding or distracted and didn’t have enough time to stop. You didn’t see the accident coming, and you get jostled around from the impact. This type of car accident is known as a rear-end collision, or a fender-bender, and can result in serious injuries. One of the most common types of car accident injuries suffered from a rear-end collision is called whiplash. In fact, whiplash is the most common type of injury for car accident victims because of how it impacts the head and neck. While your upper body is restrained by a properly worn seat belt, your head and neck are free to move around, which makes them more susceptible to injury. If you suffered a whiplash injury in a car accident, you want to work with highly knowledgeable and skilled car accident doctors who can support you through the treatment and recovery process.
What Is Whiplash?
Whiplash refers to a type of car accident impact injury that impacts the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the neck. When another vehicle hits yours from behind, it can cause your head and neck to snap forward and backward violently in rapid succession. This can cause the muscles and soft tissues in your neck to stretch outside of their typical range of motion, leading to strained or even torn tissue. A whiplash injury can also put sudden and intense pressure on your spine in your neck and upper back, resulting in a further injury, like a herniated or bulging disc. Whiplash can also cause symptoms that extend into other parts of your body, like your head, upper back, and shoulders. Whiplash is also known as a hidden injury because it can take hours or even days for you to fully feel the effects of this type of car accident injury. As swelling and inflammation set in, your pain and other symptoms may get worse before they get better.
Symptoms of a Whiplash Injury
Whiplash can cause a wide array of symptoms and even occur alongside other injuries, which can make it difficult to diagnose. Car accident doctors have the skills and expertise to recognize the signs and symptoms of a hidden injury like whiplash even before you might. Here are some examples of the types of whiplash symptoms you might experience after an injury.
Neck Pain
The most common symptom of a whiplash injury is a pain in your neck. This pain typically occurs due to strained or torn muscles and other soft tissues in the neck. You may not notice neck pain right away, as it can develop gradually once the body’s healing response triggers inflammation in the area. Neck pain can occur continuously, feeling like a dull, throbbing pain or an ache. Or you may experience neck pain only when you turn your head and neck in certain directions.
Headaches
A whiplash injury can also lead to headaches, especially those located around the base of your skull. This type of headache is known as a tension headache and can develop because of stress and strain on the muscles along the base of your skull and neck. Muscle tension and aggravated trigger points occur after a car accident and cause you to experience painful headaches that can develop right away or set in days and weeks after the initial injury.
Soreness & Stiffness
Whiplash also commonly causes soreness and stiffness in the neck and upper back. You may not realize that an injury like whiplash causes you to tense up your neck, upper back, and shoulders. This can sometimes be an automatic response to an injury or might occur due to poor posture. Whatever the reason, soreness and stiffness will start to set in and can make your pain and discomfort worse. While you might think soreness after an accident is common, it is often a signal that something isn’t quite right. Damaged muscles and soft tissues can also become stiff, making common movements you take for granted become more difficult.
Reduced Mobility
Whiplash can also lead to reduced mobility in your neck and upper body. As a response to strained or torn muscles in your neck, stiffness and soreness can make certain movements uncomfortable or even impossible. It is quite common for people who suffer a whiplash injury to experience reduced mobility, like difficulty turning their head from side to side. You may notice that you are only able to turn your head to the side only a short way, which can make everyday movements like looking beside you or over your shoulder feel impossible.
Tingling & Numbness
When a whiplash injury impacts nearby nerves, it can lead to neurological symptoms like tingling and numbness. Aggravated or damaged nerves can be caused by swelling, inflammation, or a secondary injury like disc herniation. Tingling and numbness can occur in the neck and extend outward into your shoulder, arm, and hand.
Treatment Options for Whiplash Recovery
The good news is that there are a wide range of treatment options available if you suffer a whiplash injury. To successfully recover from a whiplash injury, you want to get started on treatment right away. If you delay getting checked out for injuries after a car accident, you risk delaying your recovery time and also ending up with potential complications down the line.
Emergency Medical Attention
In the immediate aftermath of a car accident, you may not realize you have been injured. The shock of getting into an accident can get your adrenaline pumping and leave you feeling dazed. Adrenaline can also mask pain symptoms, so it can take hours or even days for all your symptoms to set in. That’s why it is important to accept any medical attention offered at the scene. First responders will check you out for possible injuries, including the common whiplash injury. Remember: the sooner you get diagnosed with an injury, the sooner you can get started healing. Always accept any emergency medical attention offered to ensure you are not dealing with any serious or life-threatening injuries caused by the car accident.
Treatment with Car Accident Doctors
Even if you end up getting emergency medical treatment, you will still need to schedule follow-up care with another doctor. Emergency doctors and urgent care physicians ensure you are stable but do not provide continued treatment, recovery, and rehabilitation. Instead, you will need to find a great car accident doctor near you. Car accident doctors are highly knowledgeable and skilled in recognizing and treating car accident injuries. They will provide you with quality, comprehensive treatment for your injuries and support you through your whiplash recovery. Car accident doctors can come from a wide range of perspectives and disciplines, which offers you many options for the different types of treatment and recovery available to you.
Top 4 Medical Professionals for Whiplash Recovery
Doctors can specialize in treating car accident injuries, which allows them to truly provide you with the best care for your whiplash injury. Here are four of the top medical professionals for whiplash recovery and treating car accident injuries:
Orthopedic Doctors
Orthopedic doctors work with the entire musculoskeletal system, including the muscles, soft tissues, and other areas of the neck that can get damaged by a whiplash injury. Orthopedic doctors offer a wide range of services, from hands-on treatment to surgical intervention when necessary. You can work with an orthopedic doctor who specializes in car accident injuries to help you through whiplash recovery. They will talk you through all your options for treatment and help you get the best care available so you can recover as quickly and effectively as possible.
Neurologists
If your whiplash injury leads to any neurological symptoms like tingling or numbness, then a neurologist is here to help. Neurologists work with the nervous system, including the nerves that run through your neck and spinal column and peripheral nerves all throughout the body. While commonly associated with neurological disorders, neurologists can also specialize in car accident injuries that impact your central nervous system and spine. A neurologist can identify damaged nerves and run different types of tests to assess the functioning of your nerves. They can check you for symptoms of a concussion, whiplash, and other injuries that may impact your nervous system.
Chiropractors
Chiropractors offer a hands-on approach to treatment and care for whiplash and other types of car accident injuries. Chiropractic care involves an all-natural treatment option that does not use pain medications or other invasive treatment techniques. Instead, chiropractors work with your body and promote your body’s natural healing abilities as you recover from an injury like whiplash.
Your chiropractor may use soft tissue mobilization and therapeutic massage to address stiff, sore muscles in your neck and upper back to promote healing in the area. They will also assess your spine for possible damage caused by the car accident. A whiplash injury can often impact the vertebrae in your spine, leading to misalignments that can cause symptoms or make those symptoms worse. Chiropractors use therapeutic adjustments to realign your spine and restore healthy functioning to the area.
Physical Therapists
Physical therapists provide continued support and rehabilitative services for whiplash recovery. Physical therapy provides you with the opportunity to take an active role in your whiplash recovery through hands-on techniques, stretches, exercises, and other treatment approaches. When you work with a physical therapist after a whiplash injury, they will help you to regain any lost strength in the muscles of your neck. They will also walk you through stretches and exercises that will gently and safely restore the range of motion to your neck. A physical therapist will provide hands-on support while you rehabilitate and recover and also teach you techniques you can do at home to continue supporting your recovery. While a whiplash injury may seem mild, it can leave you with pain and discomfort that lasts for weeks or even months. Physical therapists create a personalized treatment plan just for you that addresses your specific symptoms and helps you recover and rehabilitate as swiftly as possible after a car accident.
The Importance of Car Accident Doctors
At AICA Orthopedics in College Park, we have a team of car accident doctors who can easily recognize the signs and symptoms of a whiplash injury. We offer comprehensive care for all types of car accident injuries, including whiplash. Here’s what you can expect when you work with our team of College Park car accident doctors near you:
Thorough Diagnosis
Visit a College Park car accident doctor to get a thorough diagnosis of your injuries. With access to state-of-the-art diagnostic tools like X-rays and CT scans, we can order the scans you need to support an accurate diagnosis. We use a combination of a physical exam, an assessment of your medical history, and diagnostic imaging tools to pinpoint the exact location of your pain and other symptoms so we can get to the root cause of your injuries.
Individualized Treatment Plan
At AICA Orthopedics, our car accident doctors develop personalized treatment plans for each person who comes through our doors. Your treatment plan will be designed specifically with your symptoms and injuries in mind. We recognize that no two injuries are exactly alike, and each person will respond differently to various treatment approaches. Our multi-disciplinary team of doctors works together to create a treatment plan that incorporates a variety of treatment techniques that will help you heal and recover quickly.
Comprehensive Recovery & Rehabilitation
Our team of College Park car accident doctors supports all your efforts through recovery and rehabilitation. From orthopedic doctors to physical therapists, we will make sure you have the tools you need to make a full recovery. Get started with a car accident doctor today so you can begin whiplash recovery and get back to your regular routines and activities. Call or visit us online to schedule your appointment with a whiplash recovery doctor at AICA Orthopedics in College Park.