Whiplash injuries most commonly occur following road traffic accidents, however it is possible to suffer from whiplash after a different kind of impact. In fact it is possible to receive whiplash following bungee jumping. The direction of impact does not matter, with impact from the side, front or back resulting in a whiplash injury. Whiplash is an injury effecting the delicate tissues and bone in the neck and back. It specifically affects the neck due to the muscles being weaker in the neck. For this same reason it can affect women more severely as their neck muscles are weaker than males. The injury is extremely common with it occurring in many road traffic accidents, including minor collisions. Whiplash occurs when the head is jerked forwards and then backwards in a rapid motion, stretching the muscles over their normal threshold, these strains are termed hyperextension and hyperflexion.
Whiplash Symptoms
Whiplash causes symptoms such as pain in the neck and back, stiffness, swelling, reduced movement and headaches. Other symptoms which are a less common include muscle spasms, tiredness, blurred vision, vertigo, numbness, dizziness and blurred vision. These symptoms will fluctuate depending on the severity of the injury, with the symptoms being fairly disabling should you be suffering from chronic whiplash. You may find that it takes some time for the symptoms to occur, usually taking 6-12 hours to initially present themselves and then may worsen over the following days. However, most whiplash cases will be healed with weeks or a few months, unfortunately severely cases may take many months or even years to heal. NHS statistics state “the average recovery time for a whiplash injury without any other associated symptoms is 32 days, and out of 2,627 participants 12% had not recovered six months later (chronic whiplash).”
Whiplash Treatment
Whiplash does not need much treatment to heal, but you should make sure you follow the advice of your doctor or it will make your healing time longer. Treatment depends on the severity of your symptoms but common treatments are:
– Mobilisation: keeping your neck and back moving will help prevent them seizing up.
– Painkillers: painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen will help deal with the pain and the swelling.
– Physiotherapy: Sessions of physiotherapy may be necessary if your symptoms are persisting for an extended length of time. A physiotherapist will use methods such as massage and manipulation to treat your whiplash.
Make sure you keep a good posture to also aid the reduction of your whiplash symptoms. Make sure desk chairs are adjusted properly and keep your back straight whilst sitting and walking. If you have suffered from a whiplash injury which was not your fault, but the fault of a third party, you may be able to make a whiplash compensation claim. Contact a specialist whiplash claims solicitor today.
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Freeman Harris are specialist whiplash claims solicitors in London. Contact us today to make a free, no obligation enquiry. Call us on 020 7231 7150 or fill in an online enquiry.