Long-term Effects of Whiplash Injury


Many people think of whiplash as a minor injury you suffer when you’ve been involved in a car accident. However, whiplash injuries are more than that. They could start as minor invisible injuries. But if left untreated they often degenerate into chronic headaches, neck pain, vertigo, and more. Treatments for this condition include medication, physical therapy and chiropractic care.

What is Whiplash Injury?

Over the years, there have been several misconceptions about this condition. Some people view whiplash as a symptom of neurosis. Others call it a make-believe disorder, feigned by those looking to collect some sort of claim or compensation. Yet every day, more and more people continue to suffer in pain because of this condition.

Even though many issues surrounding whiplash injuries remain controversial, medical practitioners seem to agree on two elements. First is the fact that whiplash injuries occur when one is in a vehicle. Secondly, these injuries affect the neck and the areas surrounding it.

Symptoms of Whiplash Injury

Symptoms of whiplash sometimes start as short-term warning signs. However, if left untreated, they can degenerate into something much worse. Some short-term symptoms signs of whiplash injury include:

·         A feeling of ‘pins and needles’ in the neck

·         Headaches

·         Neck pain

·         Back pain

·         Tinnitus

·         Shoulder pain

·         Limited range of motion in the neck

These symptoms can sometimes be mild and eventually go away. Or they could be pronounced. If a person has more than a few of these symptoms, there’s a chance they would experience long-term whiplash.

Effects of Long-term Whiplash

When whiplash is left untreated for a long time, it results in serious health consequences and possibly a lifetime of pain. Imagine living the rest of your life with torn muscles in your neck.

Injuries from whiplash have a chance of causing more complicated conditions in the future. Such conditions include:

·         Chronic Pain

Pain is classified as chronic when it persists for more than just a few weeks. Untreated whiplash causes pain that could last from several weeks to years. Neck pain, for instance, often requires careful management and treatment. Wrong management for chronic neck pain could make it a lot worse in no time. This means that anyone suffering chronic pain from a whiplash injury would need professional treatment as soon as possible. Some people who suffer chronic pain do not bother seeking treatment because medication has proven to be a short-term solution. However, chiropractic care has proven to be effective for chronic pain.

·         Reduced Mobility

Whiplash injury causes stiffness in certain parts of your body. This stiffness could prevent you from moving around as much as you’d like. This means you’d have reduced productivity when performing your daily tasks. To regain adequate mobility, people who suffer from this symptom must seek out lasting treatment options such as rehabilitation exercises and chiropractic care.

·         Headaches and dizziness

People who suffer the long-term effects of whiplash injury often complain of feeling faint and dizzy. They also suffer vertigo, a condition that makes a person feel like they're falling. This sensation of disequilibrium often causes nausea and vomiting. Headaches are also one of the most common long-term effects of whiplash injury.  Chiropractic care provides relief for people who suffer from this symptom.

How Does Whiplash Affect You?

Asides from keeping you in perpetual pain, whiplash injuries can also cause some short-term cognitive symptoms. You may notice you're easily distracted, irritated, and have a hard time paying attention to anything.

More importantly, whiplash injuries affect your lifestyle and general productivity. A recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that up to 30% of people who suffered injuries from road traffic accidents (this includes whiplash injuries) have not been able to return to work two years later.

What to do if you have a Whiplash Injury?

The best thing to do if you’re suffering from whiplash injury is to seek early intervention. Treatment for whiplash injuries includes; therapy, medical care, and lots of self-care. Doctors often prescribe OTC pain medication to manage the symptoms of whiplash injuries. However, in more severe cases, one may need prescription medication and some physical therapy. The earlier one begins treatment, the better their chances of recovery. Chiropractors offer several courses of treatment that prevent whiplash injuries from getting worse.  Chiropractic adjustments could not only help restore a range of motion to your neck, but they could also increase muscle tone, reduce headaches, pain and inflammation and improve overall well-being.

Conclusion

Whiplash injuries are real and there is no universal treatment for them. Each case has to be accessed by a professional, and the best course of treatment chosen. The earlier one begins treatment on a whiplash injury, the better their chances of recovery. If ignored, whiplash injuries could result in a lifetime of pain and discomfort.

Comments

Enkay said…
Oh dear! Okon is fingering this precious innocent baby. Talk about the enemy within.

This post makes me sad. My heart goes out to all the mothers out there who are trying their best to protect their precious little ones from predators like Okon.

God help us!
December 10, 2014 at 2:25 AM
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