Technically, if you experience any symptoms of whiplash after a neck injury, seek medical attention in an ER near you as soon as possible. Although it may not look like a serious condition, the problem can progress with any further physical exertions.
When should you go to the doctor for whiplash?
Numbness, Tingling, or Pain in Arms and Shoulders Pain and other symptoms from whiplash aren’t limited to your neck. Sometimes, the pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness will go beyond your neck to your shoulders and arms. This is a common sign of severe whiplash and should be treated by a doctor quickly.
How do you know if whiplash is serious?
your symptoms spread to your shoulders or arms. moving your head becomes painful. you have numbness or weakness in your arms.
What doctor is best for whiplash?
You’ll need to begin by making an appointment with a doctor who specializes in whiplash. Orthopedic doctors specialize in the musculoskeletal system, making them the right choice if you have whiplash. Find out what to expect if you visit an orthopedic doctor for whiplash. Your doctor will ask you to list your symptoms.
Should I go to the ER if I have whiplash Related Questions
Is it bad to leave whiplash untreated?
Untreated whiplash can lead to chronic neck pain. In some cases, it can cause serious issues like: Misalignment of the spine. Degenerative disc disease.
Does whiplash show up on xray?
The difficulty with diagnosing whiplash is that it does not really show up on an X-ray, CT scan or an MRI scan. The diagnosis is usually made by asking the patient how they feel and then proceeding from there. People usually have pain in the back of their neck and they find that the pain is worse when they move.
What are the red flags of whiplash?
Signs and symptoms of whiplash usually develop within days of the injury, and may include: Neck pain and stiffness. Worsening of pain with neck movement. Loss of range of motion in the neck.
How do doctors treat whiplash?
Immobilization. Medications. Cold application for the first seven to 10 days. Exercise/physical therapy. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy. Radiofrequency nerve ablation. Spine surgery.
How do doctors diagnose whiplash?
Whiplash diagnosis Your doctor can diagnose whiplash during a clinic visit. In most cases, your doctor will take a medical history and perform an exam to determine the cause of your symptoms. During the physical exam, your doctor will check your range of motion, reflexes, and tenderness in the neck and shoulders.
Will whiplash heal on its own?
Here’s the good news: given time, whiplash should heal on its own. To help with recovery, you should: Ice your neck to reduce pain and swelling as soon as you can after the injury.
Does massage help whiplash?
Massage therapy can help alleviate the pain associated with whiplash in the neck, back and between the shoulder blades. Furthermore, whiplash can also cause headaches, stiffness, and pain or numbness in the extremities, especially the arms.
How many days does whiplash last?
Whiplash symptoms can last from a few days to many months or even longer, depending on the severity of the injury to the soft tissue in your neck and upper back.
How can I treat whiplash at home?
Either heat or cold applied to the neck for 15 minutes every three hours or so can help you feel better. Over-the-counter pain medications. Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), often can control mild to moderate whiplash pain.
When is whiplash most painful?
Pain from a whiplash injury often begins 6 to 12 hours after the injury. You may just feel uncomfortable on the day of the injury or accident and find that your pain, swelling and bruising increase over the following days. Common symptoms of whiplash include: neck problems: pain, stiffness, swelling or tenderness.
What not to do with whiplash?
Avoid lifting, sports, or other activities that might strain your neck. Try sleeping on a special neck pillow. Place it under your neck, not under your head. Placing a tightly rolled-up towel under your neck while you sleep will also work.
What makes whiplash worse?
When it comes to whiplash, rest equals rust. You may not want to move around after a whiplash injury for fear of making the pain worse. But resting for more than a few days can cause the muscles in your neck, shoulders and back to get stiff and weak — and actually prolong the pain.
Is whiplash a lifelong injury?
Sometimes this jolt is repeated several times before the car comes to a complete stop. The neck and head violently lunge forward and backward very quickly, causing the head, neck, and shoulders to go significantly beyond their normal range of motion and resulting in very painful and potentially lifelong injuries.
Does whiplash get worse throughout the day?
The pain and stiffness is often worse on the day after the injury. The pain may continue to get worse during the days after the injury. Common symptoms of whiplash include: • Neck pain and stiffness. Neck swelling.
Can you self diagnose whiplash?
Diagnosing whiplash In order for whiplash to be diagnosed you’ll need an assessment from a healthcare professional. They’ll ask you questions about your neck issue and then carry out a physical examination. This may include checking your range of movement and strength.
Why does whiplash take so long to heal?
Some injuries take time to develop Unlike a broken bone, though, soft tissue damage ‚Äî especially whiplash ‚Äî develops because of swelling and inflammation. These responses to trauma don’t happen instantaneously. Similarly, if you have a damaged disc, it moves out of position, applying pressure on surrounding nerves.