Whiplash Injury
Although the human body is resilient in many respects, it is also extremely fragile, and as we go through life there are certain experiences that cause us to sustain injuries. Some of these injuries heal on their own while others require medical care. A strain in your neck is no exception to this rule, and similar to other injuries, a neck strain can vary in intensity. On the one hand, you have a mild neck strain which you may be able to recover from with a combination of rest, over-the-counter medications, and applying cold or hot compresses to the affected area. On the other hand, a severe neck sprain, which you may know by its more common name whiplash, can be a serious and painful injury that requires weeks if not months of medical care to fully recover from.
The problem with this type of injury is, it can occur in a number of different ways. For example, whiplash is a common injury you could sustain in a car accident, and there were 6,693 people injured per day in car crashes in the U.S. in 2015. Moreover, other accidents or events such as slip and fall accidents, sports injuries, and any other event that causes your neck to unexpectedly move rapidly can cause you to sustain a whiplash injury. As such, it’s important for you to understand what a whiplash injury is on a biological level and the treatment options available for whiplash injury victims.
What is Whiplash?
Whiplash is caused by an event that causes your neck to move back and forth rapidly. When this occurs, it causes the muscle fibers in your neck and the other surrounding areas of your body to tear. Although whiplash is ultimately considered to be a type of strain that you can normally recover from, you could continue to have problems from this type of strain for a prolonged period of time.
Whiplash Injury Symptoms
The reason you need to be cognizant of the common symptoms associated with whiplash is, whiplash is arguably one of the most common types of injuries sustained by accident victims. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, there were an estimated 806,000 cases of people sustaining whiplash injuries each year as of 2004, and the estimated indirect and direct medical expenses incurred by these accident victims totaled nine billion dollars nationwide. Some of the most common symptoms associated with whiplash include:
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Decreased range of motion in your neck
- Headaches that normally occur at the base of your skull
- Tenderness or pain in your shoulders, upper back, or arms
- Tingling and numbness in your arms
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
Although the symptoms referenced above are the most common symptoms associated with a whiplash injury. Accident victims can sustain other symptoms that are less common including:
- Blurred vision
- Tinnitus
- Problems sleeping
- Irritability
- Difficulty concentrating
- Memory issues
- Depression
Treatments for Whiplash
Although you can experience severe symptoms after sustaining a whiplash injury, this type of injury is also very treatable. The recommendations made by your doctor will vary based on the severity of your whiplash injury and the other types of injuries you sustained as a result of the accident, but in most cases, whiplash is treated with a combination of the following modalities of treatment:
- Prescription medication
- Physical therapy
- Acupuncture
- Injections
- Chiropractic care
- Massage therapy
- Radiofrequency neurotomy
In addition to the treatment, your doctor recommends, you should always make sure you rest and apply ice or heat to the painful area. Whiplash is often treated both by your doctor and by the self-imposed limitations you place on your activities in order to allow your body to heal. As such, taking time off of work and limiting your physical activities can often be a good way to ensure you make a full recovery from a whiplash injury.
Personal Injury Attorney in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Recovering from injuries sustained in an accident can be overwhelming and leave you feeling frustrated, and even a treatable injury such as whiplash can leave you with a mountain of medical expenses, which is why it is so important that you hire an attorney who can protect your legal rights and ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries. At Friedland & Associates, our personal injury attorney has helped hundreds of accident victims seek the compensation they deserve, and he is ready to help you. So, call our office today for a free consultation to find out how our personal injury attorney can assist you with your claim.
