Is Whiplash a Serious Injury?

With the increase in car accidents, whiplash has increased within a few years. In a car accident, people experience different types of injuries. Some are deadly, and some have mild symptoms. The effects of injuries depend on the severity of the accident. Whiplash is a type of soft tissue injury that takes place on the neck.  

When a car accident victim experiences sudden jerking motion of the head the neck has to absorb the pressure of movement. Whiplash can be minor to severe, depending on the person’s health and the accident’s severity. Whiplash is a serious injury if there are multiple soft tissue injuries and if the person doesn’t treat it well.  

Whiplash is an uncomfortable injury that causes pain and swelling in the neck. Whiplash can be more complicated than it looks to the victim. It may not show symptoms in the start, but it starts appearing with time with more potential risk. In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn everything about whiplash.  

What is Whiplash Injury? 

Whiplash is a neck injury that takes place when the soft tissue around the neck gets strained or torn because of intense force. People who experience back and forth motion in car accidents experience whiplash injury. It is one of the common injuries in a car accident that can become complicated with long-lasting effects.  

Some people get back to their lives after some weeks, but some need proper treatment that takes a few months to get better. However, in complicated cases, people experience severe pain and other complex symptoms.  

Effects of Whiplash Injury  

In car accidents, people experience two types of effects of whiplash injury.  

Short-Term Effects  

In minor car accidents, people may experience minor whiplash. In mild whiplash, people may experience pain and discomfort for a few days, and it can be resolved with some treatments, physical therapies, exercise, and, most importantly, rest.  

In some minor cases, a person may experience extreme discomfort that disturbs the daily routine and work. If you experience mild whiplash, you may get better with minor treatments.  

Long-Term Effects 

In most cases, whiplash gets better within a few days. However, people who experience severe whiplash may experience severe and long-term effects that disturb their lives. Primarily, people who experience deadly car accidents or delay their medical treatment after an accident experience long-term effects. The long-term challenges a person may experience include:  

• Severe neck pain 
• Limited motion of the neck 
• Fatigue  
• Psychological disorder 
• Cognitive issues  
• Persistent headaches 
• Trouble in sleep 

People in life-changing car accidents may experience severe symptoms of whiplash that affect their health completely. If you’re also suffering from chronic whiplash because of someone else’s fault, you need an accident attorney in Houston TX. An accident lawyer will fully assist you in recovering the compensation for your medical expenses. 

Complications of Whiplash After Car Accident  

In minor accidents, people may feel better within a few weeks completely. However, some people have lasting experiences that constantly disturb their lives. Some people suffer from whiplash for months and years after the accident.  

In the beginning, it is difficult to know whether the whiplash is minor or severe. With diagnostic tests and time, a doctor may get to know the severity of the whiplash. The first symptom of whiplash is chronic pain that takes place in both minor and severe injuries. As time passes, the car accident may notice other complications. The further complications are the following: 

• Persistent neck pain 
• Pain while movement 
• Limited range of motion 
• Lower back pain 

People who have the following condition may develop severe whiplash after a car accident.  

• Victim with older age 
• Existing whiplash  
• Existing neck or back issues  
• High-speed injuries  
• Poor medical conditions 

People who have these conditions can experience worse outcomes after a car accident. To save yourself from further damage, it is always better to seek medical help after a car accident, whether your accident was minor or deadly.  

Causes of Whiplash Injury  

Whiplash occurs when the neck muscles have to absorb lots of force in sudden back and forth motion. The sudden motion may become the reason for tears and strains. Some of the situations that become the reason for whiplash injury are the following.  

• Physical abuse 
• Car accidents  
• Slip and Fall accidents 
• Playing sports or martial arts 
• Horse riding  
• Bicycle accidents  
• Head injured with a heavyweight object  

Symptoms of Whiplash After Car Accident  

Some common symptoms of whiplash become noticeable within a few hours, and some symptoms appear within a few days. Below are the symptoms you must know.  

• Neck Stiffness 
• Neck pain 
• Blurred vision 
• Tiredness 
• Weakness 
• Headaches  
• Swelling 

Some symptoms that people with serious whiplash experience are:  

• Tingling sensation 
• Ringing in ears 
• Difficulty in concentration 
• Memory issue 
• Irritability  
• Insomnia 
• Persistent pain in the head, neck, or shoulders 

How Whiplash Injury Can Be Diagnosed?  

To know your medical condition, a doctor will ask basic questions about how your accident happened, when it happened, and where you felt the pain. After taking your medical history, your doctor will recommend some physical tests that will help doctors evaluate your internal condition.  

With the help of a physical test, the doctor will assess your damage and detect which part of the body is impacted in a car accident. To assess your medical condition, the doctor will conduct the following test. 

• X-rays  
• CT scan  
• MRI 

In severe cases, doctors may conduct the test below. 

• Diffuse Tensor Imaging (DTI) 
• Positron Emission Tomography (PET) 

These are imaging scans that help to see the condition of the injury. With the help of such tests, doctors can see the condition in detail and suggest the best treatment for it.  

Are Serious Whiplash Injury Is Treatable?  

Whiplash is a common car accident injury that can be cured with medical treatments. Whether the whiplash is mild or severe, it is treatable. With medical treatment and therapy it can enhance the healing process that will reduce the effects of whiplash.  

Treatments For Whiplash Injury  

To recover from a whiplash injury after a car accident, it is vital to get some treatment. It will help to reduce the long-term complications and chronic pain from whiplash. The most common treatments for whiplash are the following.  

Immobilization 

Whiplash is a neck injury that affects the neck and spine area of the victim. To provide protective care, you can use a cervical collar that helps in managing the pain immediately. A c-collar helps to hold your neck and head in proper posture.  

Moreover, immediately using a c-collar will help your vertebrae not damage the spinal cord. C-collar is one of the effective solutions that let your neck rest and protect you from extra weight on the head. For car accident victims, it is very painful to bear neck injuries. To reduce some bit of your pain, you can use neck collars. There are different types of immobilizations available. With a doctor’s recommendation, you can use any for your injury.  

Medications  

Medication is one of the important treatments that help to treat whiplash. Whether the person has mild or serious whiplash, doctors recommend multiple medicines to reduce the effects of symptoms.  The most common medications your doctor will provide you for whiplash are the following. 

• Painkillers: To reduce neck injury pain, your doctor will suggest some drugs like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or naproxen. It will relax your muscles and reduce the pain of the injury.  Your doctor will recommend medicines according to the severity of the accident and after assessing different health factors.  
• Anti-inflammatory Medicines: In severe whiplash, people experience severe swelling and inflammation in the body. To reduce inflammation in the body, the doctor will prescribe you some medicines that will reduce inflammation in the body.  
• Muscle Relaxants: After experiencing the fierce force of a car crash, the muscles get tensed. Sprained muscles don’t allow them to heal at the right pace. With muscle relaxers, the victim will heal the injury quickly.  

Your doctor may suggest other medicines after studying your case thoroughly. But the mentioned medicines are the best options to treat mild symptoms of whiplash.  

Apply Heat and Cold Method  

During the first few days of the car accident, you can use cold and heat therapy to manage your swelling and pain at home. You can use gentle heat to enhance the blood flow in your body, which will promote the healing of the injury.  

For swelling, you can use icing that will reduce inflammation in the body. But use this method only for a few days. For severe inflammation, you should consult a doctor. 

Physical Therapy  

When a person experiences physical injury, it is good for them to do some physical therapy. Therapists use different exercises and stretches that enhance the flexibility of the body.  

Moreover, it will strengthen the healing process, which will help the injured area to heal. Exercise enhances the functioning of the body, which will help the affected area get better quickly.  

People with severe symptoms can do gentle exercises to help them cope with some symptoms.  

Radiofrequency Nerve Ablation  

Chronic pain can be managed by stopping the pain from being transmitted through nerves to the affected part. This is particularly important in cases of damaged nerves due to injury when these nerves tend to transmit pain messages more than necessary. In this therapy, radio frequency energy is used to heat the desired nerves and destroy them such that they cease to deliver pain messages. With this therapy, you can reduce severe pain for a long time.  

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Therapy  

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a procedure in which electrical current is transmitted to the body. In this way, the nerves get signals to function, which helps in reducing pain in specific areas. People who suffer from severe whiplash can use this therapy to reduce pain and discomfort. 

Surgery  

Surgery for whiplash is rare. Mostly, whiplash gets better with different treatments. But in severe cases, where a person experiences whiplash with fractures and torn muscles, they need proper surgery. With surgery, you can fix the affected area, which will help prevent potential damage.  

How Can an Accident Lawyer Help You?  

If you’re suffering from multiple personal injuries, especially whiplash, you might worry about the extensive bills you have paid because of someone else’s carelessness. If you have suffered pain and loss because of someone else, you have the right to file compensation. Do not be concerned with the bills. A lawyer’s assistance will ensure you get justice in terms of compensation. 

Although no amount of money can substitute for your pain and loss, but it can be helpful in reducing the expenses heavily affecting your finances.
You will be represented by a lawyer at each of the steps, and this way, you could concentrate more on your condition while fair compensation is claimed for you.

 An accident victim finds it hard to focus on health/injury claims since it is not easy to get compensation. With the help of a lawyer, you can concentrate on your recovery while he pursues your compensation claim.  

With the assistance of Mokaram Law Firm, you can seek what you truly deserve. Our competent lawyer will take care of your legal matters so you can focus on your well-being. 

The Bottom Line 

Whiplash is a common neck injury that can take place in both minor or severe car accidents. If you’re suffering from neck and back pain, you may have whiplash. Whiplash is a treatable injury that can be fixed with multiple treatments. No matter the severity of the injury, you can seek a claim for your discomfort and suffering. To discuss the complexities of your case, you can call us at (281) 609-9224.