Whiplash is an injury that occurs when someone’s head strikes something hard, such as the steering wheel of a car after being involved in a traffic accident. The force of the impact causes ligaments and muscles on the back of the neck to stretch beyond their normal range. This results in pain, stiffness, and/or numbness throughout the upper body.
The most common symptom of whiplash is severe neck pain. Other possible signs include headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, loss of balance, vertigo (dizziness), tingling or weakness in arms, hands, legs, feet, shoulders and chest.
While there is no specific treatment for whiplash, rest and heat can be helpful. You may also need to see a doctor, especially if you experience any of the following:
Types of Whiplash
Whiplash is caused by a sudden acceleration or deceleration of the head. This causes the neck to snap back. When this happens, it can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. There are three different types of whiplash injuries, which include:
1. soft tissue injury
2. ligamentous injury
3. fracture
If you experience any type of whiplash, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. The sooner you get treatment, the better. If you wait too long, you could end up with more serious problems like nerve damage and even paralysis.
The most common symptom is a stiff neck. You may also feel soreness in your muscles or joints. These symptoms usually go away after about two weeks. However, if they don’t disappear, then you should seek medical attention immediately.
There are several types of whiplash, but the main ones are listed below.
Soft Tissue Injury
This is a very mild form of whiplash and it involves only the soft tissues of the body. Soft tissue injuries usually occur when there is no other force involved. For example, you might fall off a bike and hit your head on the ground.
In this case, you would probably just have some bruises.
Common Symptoms
Whiplash is a common injury. And the best way to treat whiplash injuries is to get medical help as soon as possible. If you ignore this, then you could end up in a lot of pain.
The most common symptom of whiplash is neck pain. This is because your head was thrown back when you were hit by another car. So, if you experience neck pain, it’s important to see your doctor right away.
There are other common symptoms of whiplash. These include headaches and dizziness. When you have these symptoms, then you should also seek medical treatment immediately.
If you want to avoid the problems associated with whiplash, then you need to wear a seatbelt. If you don’t, then you can end up getting hurt.
So, you should always wear a seat belt whenever you’re driving or riding in a car. Also, make sure that your car is properly aligned. You should also keep the speed limit below the posted limit.
In addition to wearing a seat belt, you should also take some time off work. This will give you enough time to recover from whiplash injuries.
Causes of Whiplash
Whiplash is an injury to the neck caused by a sudden acceleration or deceleration of a moving object. This can happen when you are in a car accident or if you fall off your bike. When this happens, it can cause pain, stiffness, and even headaches.
If you think that you might be suffering from whiplash, then you should visit your doctor. They will take a detailed history of what happened to you. Then they will examine you to see how bad the injuries are.
There are two types of whiplash. The first is called cervical sprain/strain. This type of whiplash is usually associated with a car crash. It’s also known as soft tissue whiplash.
The second type of whiplash is called ligamentous or skeletal. It’s also referred to as hard-tissue whiplash because it involves the joints.
Causes of whiplash include:
• Falling off a bicycle, motorcycle, scooter, skateboard, snowmobile, horseback riding, rollerblading, etc.
• Being thrown from a vehicle, such as being ejected from a car, truck, bus, train, plane, boat, helicopter, etc.
How to Treat Whiplash
If you do, then you need to get checked by a doctor. But, before you go to the hospital or an emergency room, you should try to take care of yourself at home. The best way to do this is to use ice packs. Ice packs can help relieve the pain. They also prevent swelling.
The other thing you should do is to rest your body. You shouldn’t move around too much. If possible, you should stay off of your feet until the injury heals. You should also drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. It’s important to eat healthy food as well.
It’s also important to avoid alcohol. This is because drinking alcohol while you have a neck injury could make things worse. So, if you are going out with friends who might be having fun, then you should tell them that you don’t feel like partying.
Conclusion
Whiplash is when your neck is twisted or snapped. This causes pain in the back of your head, neck, shoulders, and arms. The most common symptom of whiplash is neck pain. When you experience a car accident, it’s important to see if you have whiplash.
