288 million people report having chronic neck pain each year, and some of these cases are due to whiplash.
Whiplash usually gets better on its own, but it’s essential to get medical attention as soon as you develop symptoms of whiplash.
Delaying care and not knowing your options could result in chronic pain that’s difficult to treat, so it’s worth learning about whiplash before there’s a problem.
Read on if you’re looking for a whiplash definition, symptom list, and treatment options.
What Is Whiplash?
Whiplash is an injury to the neck that’s caused by sudden and forceful movements of the neck. But what causes whiplash?
The most common reasons for developing whiplash are car accidents, falls, sporting accidents, and any other kind of physical trauma.
If any even happens where your head is suddenly thrown backward and then forwards again, you should see someone to assess your whiplash risk.
What Are the Symptoms of Whiplash?
The main symptom of whiplash is neck pain, which often reveals itself as stiffness. However, there are some further complications you should be aware of. Checking whether you have these other symptoms will help you determine whether you have regular neck pain or whiplash.
- Worsening pain with movement
- Reduced ability to move the neck
- Headaches that start at the base of the skull
- Dizziness
- Tiredness
- Tingling or numbness in the hands and arms
- Aches and pains in the shoulders and upper back
In more severe cases, people can also develop tinnitus, vision problems, difficulty sleeping and concentrating, memory problems, and mood disorders.
What Is Whiplash Treatment?
If you have any accident that causes injury, you should see a doctor as soon as possible for diagnosis and treatment.
If you’re wondering, ‘what can I do about whiplash?’ the good news is that it’ll probably go away within a few weeks. During this time, ice packs, painkillers, and rest are advisable to manage your symptoms.
However, if you have severe pain that spreads to your arms and limits your movement, you’re more likely to develop chronic pain. Furthermore, you’re at risk if you’ve had whiplash before, have pre-existing pain, or are elderly.
In severe cases, you can have neck surgery to help alleviate your symptoms. This is usually done when MRI scans and X-rays show that there has been a fracture. The surgery involves removing bone spurs and some of the injured disks.
After a whiplash injury, you can often get funding for neck surgery through a claims process. However, you should research the process and consider hiring a claims company to make sure you get everything you’re entitled to.
A Simple Whiplash Definition
That’s a simple whiplash definition, symptom list, and explanation of treatments giving you all the information you need to know.
If you’re experiencing whiplash symptoms, take a proactive approach and get it sorted out as soon as possible.
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