Tips about recovery and treatment
If your suffering neck pain after a car crash or any other type of accident that caused you to suffer whiplash, we understand how painful this can be.
After an accident, your first port of call should always be to seek medical attention. Although you may feel fine immediately after your accident, soft tissue injuries can have a delayed onset.
Also, there have been cases where victims have shrugged off minor injuries which have later turned out to be more sinister.
How is whiplash caused?
While whiplash injuries usually stem from car accidents, but also occur after any sudden jolt to the neck. Slips, trips, falls and contact sports are also a cause of whiplash but nowhere near as common as car crashes.
The seatbelt is designed to restrain your body from hurtling forward following an impact. The only problem with this is your head is left unprotected which causes a sudden jolt to the neck. This is what is referred to as (whiplash) named after the whip effect that the neck and spine sustains.
Has your head been jolted back in a car accident? If so you might be entitled to compensation, find out more about whiplash claims here.
So how can you treat whiplash?
Firstly, as we mentioned above your whiplash should be treated by a trained medical professional. This is also helpful because when you come to make a claim for your injury will be on record.
If you insist on treating your injuries yourself below are some of the most common home treatments:
Apply an ice pack to the affected area to reduce pain and swelling immediately or as soon as possible after the accident. Every four hours hold the ice pack on the injury for approximately 15 minutes for three days. You can wrap the ice in a thin towel or cloth to make it more comfortable if you wish.
Painkillers can temporarily relieve your pain and suffering but only take them if they have been prescribed to you by a doctor.
Avoid any heavy lifting and change your routine if need be. You may also have to take time off work in order to recover fully.
Applying moist heat to the injury after you have completed the three days if ice pack therapy has been known to help. You could also take warm baths or showers to loosen the neck muscles.
How long does it take to fully recover?
If you have suffered from whiplash that caused you to take time off work you probably anxious to get back earning again. The amount of time it takes to recover varies depending on the severity of your injury.
In some cases, medical treatment can help you recover from a whiplash injury faster. We have listed some of the common treatments that aid recovery below:
- Manual manipulation
- Acupuncture
- Physical therapy
- Prescription pain medications
- Injections
- Radiofrequency neurotomy
All of the above treatment has been proven to aid and speed up recovery times.
If you need help or advice regarding your situation, call us free on 1800 016 017 or chat with us online.
