What Is Whiplash in a Car Accident?
If you’ve experienced whiplash in a car accident, you’re far from alone. More than two million Americans end up with whiplash each year, and that’s often due to a car accident. Even though it’s common, it’s normal to have some questions about whiplash in a car accident. Let’s dig in, so you will have a better understanding of this injury. Then, you will know what to expect if you get whiplash from a car accident.
What Causes Whiplash?
Whiplash is caused when your head rapidly moves back and forth, injuring your neck. While any car accident can lead to whiplash, it’s most common in rear-end accidents. When you are hit from behind, your head snaps forward and then falls backward, causing whiplash.
While this is a violent injury, you don’t have to move that fast to get whiplash. You can be traveling 5 or 10 mph when an accident occurs and get whiplash. In fact, many people end up with whiplash after getting bumped in parking lots.
Symptoms of Whiplash
If you have whiplash, it generally won’t show up on an MRI. Instead, your doctor will evaluate you and ask about your symptoms to determine if you have this injury. You might experience symptoms immediately following the car accident, or it could take several days to manifest.
Common whiplash symptoms include neck pain and stiffness, shoulder pain, low back pain, and dizziness. You also might have ringing in your ears, blurred vision, and cognitive issues, such as problems remembering information. Many people who suffer whiplash also have trouble sleeping. This leads to fatigue.
While the symptoms can be uncomfortable for people of all ages, the severity typically increases as people age. Many older people have neck issues already, so adding whiplash on top of current problems makes the symptoms much worse.
Treatment for Whiplash
If you think you have whiplash, you need to visit an experienced auto accident doctor at a multi-specialty Brooklyn medical clinic for an evaluation. Your physician will run diagnostic tests to rule out other problems. If it is whiplash, you can begin treatment to alleviate your symptoms.
If you have severe symptoms, your doctor might give you prescription medications, including muscle relaxants. You also might receive an injection to numb the area.
Your doctor will also likely recommend rest, heat, and ice to control the pain and help you heal. Finally, you might need physical therapy to improve your range of motion and reduce pain. If you don’t see a physical therapist in person, your doctor can send you home with exercises for you to follow at home. You’ll need to do the exercises regularly to manage your symptoms.
Overcoming Whiplash
Whiplash symptoms can range from minor to significant. No matter how severe your symptoms are, you should get evaluated by an experienced car accident doctor in Brooklyn. You need to make sure you don’t have a serious condition. Then, your doctor can help you manage your symptoms and overcome whiplash. This is a common condition, and your doctor can provide treatment to help you move past the pain.
NEW: Telemedicine Appointments are now available, call (718) 769-2521 today, and get an immediate consultation in the comfort of your home. We accept most insurance plans including workers’ compensation and no-fault insurance.