It might be located in one spot or general area, or
it could also radiate down the shoulder into the arm and/or hand
. Typically, neck pain from whiplash is caused by ligament sprains or muscle strains, but it can also be caused by injuries to discs, nerves, joints, and/or bones.
What muscles are affected by whiplash?
Shoulder muscles
are often affected by whiplash too. You may feel pain between shoulder blades or along the shoulder muscles, depending on the accident. Finally, back muscles can be affected as well. Even muscles in the low back could tense up as a result of the auto accident.
Where is the pain from whiplash?
After a whiplash injury, you may feel a dull, aching pain
in the front or back of your neck (or both)
. Many people have a stiff neck that makes it difficult to turn your head side to side. It’s important to note that a motor vehicle’s speed at the time of impact does not dictate how severe your symptoms are.
Can whiplash cause a pinched nerve in the neck?
The common condition of whiplash can even involve nerve damage near the head and the neck, or a severe enough laceration can damage nerves near the injury.
The blunt force trauma associated with impact can also lead to a compressed nerve, or a sprain in the neck that pinches surrounding nerves
.
How do I know if my whiplash is serious?
- Blurred vision.
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Sleep disturbances.
- Irritability.
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Memory problems.
- Depression.
What happens if you leave whiplash untreated?
Because a whiplash injury is a strain on your neck muscles as well as the tendons and ligaments in your neck, untreated whiplash
can lead to spinal misalignment
. When your spine is out of alignment, you can experience chronic structural problems, literally from your head to your feet.
How do I know if my neck injury is serious?
- Pain that doesn’t go away or is severe.
- Shooting pain in your arms or legs.
- Numbness, weakness, or tingling in your arms or legs.
- Trouble controlling your bladder or bowels.
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.
How long can whiplash take to come out?
Symptoms of whiplash may be delayed for
24 hours or more
after the initial trauma. However, people who experience whiplash may develop one or more of the following symptoms, usually within the first few days after the injury: Neck pain and stiffness.
How long can whiplash affect you?
Some cases of whiplash resolve within a few weeks or months, especially if the victim receives adequate medical treatment soon after the injury. But in other cases, the pain and restriction of a whiplash injury can go on for
years — or even a lifetime
.
Should I go to the ER for whiplash?
If you’ve been in a car accident, you might receive care on the scene or in an emergency room
. However, a whiplash injury may not cause symptoms immediately. If you have neck pain and other symptoms after an injury, see your doctor or an urgent care center as soon as possible.
Does whiplash get worse before it gets better?
When that initial injury occurs, there are physical changes to the cervical spine and cervicocranial junction (where the base of the skull meets the neck).
If those changes are not corrected through proper pain management treatment, the discomfort will persist and can recur or get worse over time
.
Can whiplash cause neurological problems?
Whiplash can cause neurological problems
. Basically, there are two types of neurological problems. The first is direct nerve root encroachment or nerve root irritation from direct pressure like herniated discs. As shown in previous blogs regarding the Croft grade for whiplash injuries, this is a type IV and V injuries.
What kind of settlement should I expect from whiplash?
Average whiplash settlement amounts may range from:
$10,000 to $100,000 for minor neck and back injuries
. $1 million to $5 million or more for life-altering whiplash injuries or permanent disability.
What are symptoms of pinched nerve in neck?
- A sharp pain in the arm.
- Pain in the shoulder.
- A feeling of numbness or pins and needles in the arm.
- Weakness of the arm.
- Worsening pain when you move your neck or turn your head.
What is late whiplash syndrome?
A condition commonly seen after motor vehicle accidents is studied. This is the “late whiplash” syndrome, which is defined as
a collection of symptoms and disabilities seen more than six months after a neck injury occurring in a motor vehicle accident
.
Is it OK to massage whiplash?
Is it ok to massage a whiplash injury? Again, the short answer is
yes, if your therapist is using the correct approach
. The best option for recovery is a combination of experience, and therapeutic appropriate techniques that have been shown to work when studied by scientists.
Can a whiplash claim be refused?
Can a whiplash claim be refused?
Yes, a whiplash claim can be refused if you fail to provide sufficient proof of your injuries or that the accident was not your fault
. Your claim may also be refused if the insurer believes the accident was staged or you’ve exaggerated how badly you were hurt.
Can whiplash flare up?
Chronic headaches and radiating pain or pain occurring at the base of the skull
may flare up immediately after whiplash or in the days to weeks afterwards
and can become worse without treatment.
What does a doctor do for whiplash?
Treatment for whiplash. The treatments for whiplash are relatively simple.
Doctors will often prescribe an OTC pain medication like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or aspirin
.
Can whiplash affect you months later?
As your disks, muscles, and nerves settle after the initial impact, however, you may start experiencing certain symptoms of whiplash. While most of the symptoms may appear in the first few days after the accident,
some may develop months or even years later
.
Can neck pain go down your arm?
Neck problems can cause a range of symptoms including pain (which
may go down your arm
), stiffness and pins and needles/numbness in your arm or hand.
When should I go to the hospital for a neck injury?
Go to an Emergency Department if you:
Have back or neck pain with fever, chills, changes in appetite or weight loss
. Experience lack of bladder control, difficulty urinating or bowel control. Are having trouble sleeping due to severe pain.
How should I sleep with whiplash?
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. If you use a neck pillow or rolled towel, do not use your regular pillow at the same time.
What is the fastest way to cure whiplash?- Alternating Ice and Heat. Right after a car accident, icing the neck and shoulders is incredibly beneficial to not only address any pain you may be experiencing but to also help reduce swelling. …
- Light Stretching. …
- Essential Oils. …
- Hot Teas. …
- CBD Oil.
Is ice or heat better for whiplash?
Steps to take care of your whiplash injury include: Take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) or acetaminophen (Tylenol). Apply heat or ice to the painful area. One good method is to
use ice for the first 48 – 72 hours, then use heat after that
.
