After a car accident, many people are unaware of the potential for whiplash injuries. Unfortunately, these injuries can often be quite severe, leading to long-term pain and stiffness in the neck. In this blog post, we’ll cover what you need to know about whiplash injuries from car accidents so that you can take the necessary steps to protect your health and well-being following an accident.
What Is Whiplash?
Whiplash is a type of soft tissue injury that occurs when the head is suddenly thrown forward or backward due to a sudden impact or force. The force causes damage to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the neck and upper back area which leads to pain and stiffness in the affected area. Whiplash can also cause headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, depression or anxiety. It is important to note that even if you don’t experience any symptoms immediately after an accident—they may still manifest themselves later on.
The Most Common Causes of Whiplash Injury From Car Accidents
Whiplash injuries occur most commonly as a result of rear-end collisions when one vehicle crashes into another from behind at high speed. This sudden force causes the occupant’s head to whip back and forth resulting in damage to their neck muscles and ligaments. This type of injury can also happen during head-on collisions or side impacts depending on how much force is involved and which direction the occupant’s head is facing at the time of impact. Even low-speed collisions can cause whiplash if there is enough force involved; however it is more common in higher speed collisions as this increases the severity of the impact.
Diagnosis & Treatment for Whiplash Injury From Car Accidents
If you have been involved in a car accident it is important to seek medical attention right away regardless of whether you feel pain or not as some symptoms may not appear until several days or weeks later. Your doctor will examine your neck area for signs of injury such as swelling or tenderness before determining if further tests such as x-rays or MRIs are needed for diagnosis. Depending on your individual situation they may then recommend physical therapy or other treatments such as chiropractic care or massage therapy as part of your treatment plan.
If you have been involved in a car accident it is important to seek medical attention right away even if you do not feel any immediate pain symptoms associated with whiplash injuries from car accidents. Taking preventative measures now can help ensure that any potential issues are addressed early on so that they do not become major problems down the road. Knowing what signs and symptoms are associated with whiplash injuries from car accidents can help protect both yourself and those around you following an accident so make sure to familiarize yourself with them today!