Physical Therapy Topics: Whiplash Can Be A Real Pain In the Neck!
21/01/10 10:16
Whiplash, a common cause of neck pain, is caused by an injury to muscles in the neck. The most common cause of whiplash is a car accident.
Note that the speed of the cars involved in the accident may not be directly related to the amount of physical damage to the neck. Speeds as slow as 15 miles/hour can cause damage to the tissues in the neck, especially if you don’t wear your seat belt. So always take extra precautions during poor driving conditions and extreme traffic to save you and your loved ones many years of neck pain!
Whiplash can also be caused by neck injuries due to contact sports (football, wrestling), falls (beware of slippery floors or icy roads) and even repetitive neck stress like consistently holding a phone headset between your head and shoulder. These factors put undue strain on your neck muscles.
Wondering if you might have whiplash?
Common symptoms include:
• Neck pain or stiffness
• Blurred vision
• Swelling of the neck
• Neck tenderness, especially on the back of your neck
• Muscle spasms within your neck muscles
• Muscle tension that makes moving your neck from side to side difficult
Always consult a physician as soon as possible after you feel the first symptoms of whiplash. The physician will diagnose the extent of the injury and recommend treatments, which might include wearing a neck brace to stabilize the neck, prescribing anti-inflammatory medications to ease the swelling and pain, and utilizing exercise to help you restore function.
Don't Ignore The Pain..
You might think that your symptoms aren’t severe enough to require medical attention and decide to 'live with it', maybe popping a few over-the-counter pills for pain relief.
The truth is, not seeking proper treatment for your whiplash injury will only make the problem worse.
Seeking the right treatment in a timely manner from our team can bring relief and prevent months, perhaps years of pain and anguish after the accident. Your best bet is to seek help from experienced professionals like us as soon as you suspect that you or a loved one might have whiplash.
Passive And Active Treatment Options
The use of physical therapy and controlled exercises after a whiplash injury can help ensure that your muscles regain their full functionality over time. You might need to begin with some passive treatments and gradually progress to active exercises.
These include:
• Cold therapy. Immediately after an injury, applying cold to the injured area for 15-20 minutes helps reduce inflammation and lessen pain and muscles spasms. Make sure you don’t apply the ice directly to your skin. Use a towel between the ice and your neck.
• Soft / deep tissue massage. With this technique, your physical therapist applies controlled, direct pressure to the neck muscles, which helps release tension in the soft tissues, improves blood flow and aids in a speedy recovery.
• Heat therapy. Heat applied directly to injured muscles draws more blood to the area, which results in more oxygen and nutrients to help with the healing process. Be careful not to use heat before the first 24-48 hours, as it can cause more swelling!
• Ultrasound. This technique increases blood circulation by sending sound waves deep into your muscle tissues. The result is a decreased occurrence of muscle spasms, swelling, cramping, pain, and stiffness.
In addition to these, active treatments will be incorporated. These treatments will vary based on the severity of your injury, your levels of health and fitness prior to the injury, and healing rate. Our goal is the same as yours: To help you get rid of pain and return to your normal activities as soon as possible!
Call us to schedule your consultation today.
Note that the speed of the cars involved in the accident may not be directly related to the amount of physical damage to the neck. Speeds as slow as 15 miles/hour can cause damage to the tissues in the neck, especially if you don’t wear your seat belt. So always take extra precautions during poor driving conditions and extreme traffic to save you and your loved ones many years of neck pain!
Whiplash can also be caused by neck injuries due to contact sports (football, wrestling), falls (beware of slippery floors or icy roads) and even repetitive neck stress like consistently holding a phone headset between your head and shoulder. These factors put undue strain on your neck muscles.
Wondering if you might have whiplash?
Common symptoms include:
• Neck pain or stiffness
• Blurred vision
• Swelling of the neck
• Neck tenderness, especially on the back of your neck
• Muscle spasms within your neck muscles
• Muscle tension that makes moving your neck from side to side difficult
Always consult a physician as soon as possible after you feel the first symptoms of whiplash. The physician will diagnose the extent of the injury and recommend treatments, which might include wearing a neck brace to stabilize the neck, prescribing anti-inflammatory medications to ease the swelling and pain, and utilizing exercise to help you restore function.
Don't Ignore The Pain..
You might think that your symptoms aren’t severe enough to require medical attention and decide to 'live with it', maybe popping a few over-the-counter pills for pain relief.
The truth is, not seeking proper treatment for your whiplash injury will only make the problem worse.
Seeking the right treatment in a timely manner from our team can bring relief and prevent months, perhaps years of pain and anguish after the accident. Your best bet is to seek help from experienced professionals like us as soon as you suspect that you or a loved one might have whiplash.
Passive And Active Treatment Options
The use of physical therapy and controlled exercises after a whiplash injury can help ensure that your muscles regain their full functionality over time. You might need to begin with some passive treatments and gradually progress to active exercises.
These include:
• Cold therapy. Immediately after an injury, applying cold to the injured area for 15-20 minutes helps reduce inflammation and lessen pain and muscles spasms. Make sure you don’t apply the ice directly to your skin. Use a towel between the ice and your neck.
• Soft / deep tissue massage. With this technique, your physical therapist applies controlled, direct pressure to the neck muscles, which helps release tension in the soft tissues, improves blood flow and aids in a speedy recovery.
• Heat therapy. Heat applied directly to injured muscles draws more blood to the area, which results in more oxygen and nutrients to help with the healing process. Be careful not to use heat before the first 24-48 hours, as it can cause more swelling!
• Ultrasound. This technique increases blood circulation by sending sound waves deep into your muscle tissues. The result is a decreased occurrence of muscle spasms, swelling, cramping, pain, and stiffness.
In addition to these, active treatments will be incorporated. These treatments will vary based on the severity of your injury, your levels of health and fitness prior to the injury, and healing rate. Our goal is the same as yours: To help you get rid of pain and return to your normal activities as soon as possible!
Call us to schedule your consultation today.
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