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When a powerful force causes the neck and head to quickly move back and forth, a whiplash injury can occur. Your neck oscillates rapidly in both directions, straining and extending discs, nerves and soft tissue beyond their natural range of motion.
Whether you experienced this condition as a result of a car accident, fall or sports injury, symptoms may show up days later. Compared to other soft tissue injuries, whiplash remains less understood but physical therapy is often needed for recovery. Here’s what you should know.
How Does Whiplash Occur?
The rapid, forceful motion of whiplash is created as a result of sudden acceleration or deceleration without sufficient time to slow down. These conditions force the muscles and ligaments outside of their normal range of motion, resulting in a sprain, strain or tear.
Symptoms like soreness, pain and stiffness may appear from the start or days after the incident. Most patients see improvement after taking pain medication and doing targeted stretches for a few weeks. However, the injury can also manifest as chronic pain or result in other complications, like a slipped disc.
Along with rear-end collisions, whiplash can result from:
- A sports injury, particularly from contact sports like football or martial arts
- Falling from a certain height while performing an activity, such as horseback riding or cycling
- Being hit in the head with a heavy object
- A fall that suddenly forces your head backward
Symptoms of a Whiplash Injury
Common symptoms of a whiplash injury include neck pain and stiffness that worsen when you attempt to turn or move the joint. Other signs include:
- Decreased motion in the neck
- Shoulder and upper-arm pain
- Lower back pain
- Headaches
- Numbness or tingling in the arms
- Unexplained fatigue
- Dizziness
- Inability to focus or concentrate
- Sleep disturbances
- Anger, irritability or depression
- Blurry or unforced vision
- Ringing in the ears
- Memory problems
Patients are more likely to experience chronic pain and other complications if:
- They’ve had multiple whiplash incidents
- Symptoms persisted for months
- They already have back or neck pain
- They were hit at a high speed
Treatment for a Whiplash Injury
Due to these risks, you’re advised to seek medical treatment immediately after an accident or injury resulting in whiplash. A doctor will conduct a physical examination and likely request imaging of the bones and soft tissues to assess the extent of the damage.
Following the exam, you may be advised to ice the area, take an NSAID or muscle relaxer, wear a cervical collar and rest before gradually engaging in more active movements.
Common physical therapy treatments for whiplash recovery include:
- Exercises to improve neck strength and flexibility
- Exercises to help relax the neck and improve posture
- Manual therapy to reduce muscle pain
Are you recovering from a whiplash injury? The physical therapists at Integrated Rehab can improve your neck strength and flexibility and reduce potential injury risks. To learn more or request an appointment, contact us today.