When another vehicle collides with yours, it can jolt and jostle your body around and cause serious injuries. One of the most common car accident injuries is called whiplash. Whether you were rear-ended by another car or involved in a multi-car wreck, the force of impact can cause your head and neck to snap forward and backward violently. This common car accident injury can cause a wide range of symptoms in your head, neck, upper back, and even into your extremities. If you are looking for a chiropractor in Atlanta to help with neck pain and neurological symptoms after a car accident, the team of car accident doctors at AICA Orthopedics is here to help. Here’s everything you need to know about whiplash and how it can end up causing neurological problems down the line.
What Is Whiplash?
You can follow all the safety protocols of riding in a vehicle and practicing the rules of the road but still get into a car accident. Wearing a seat belt helps protect you from shoulder to hip and across your waist so that the force of impact doesn’t throw your body through the windshield. However, a seat belt can’t protect your head and neck, so it is possible to sustain serious injury there. When the force of impact shakes you around, your head and neck are at greater risk of damage. Some people are also surprised to learn that you can get whiplash from sports injuries, physical abuse, and even rollercoasters and amusement park rides. Your head and neck are sensitive to injury and house your brain and central nervous system, so it is important to get checked out by a car accident doctor as soon as possible if you are experiencing symptoms of whiplash after an accident.
Symptoms of Whiplash
Here are the common symptoms of whiplash you might experience after you’ve been in a car accident.
Neck Pain
Whiplash can cause pain in your neck, ranging from a dull and aching pain to a throbbing or stabbing pain. Your neck may be sensitive to the touch, and any sudden movements or certain kinds of movements can make the pain worse.
Muscle Stiffness
When your neck muscles are strained and stretched out of their typical range of motion, it can cause them to stiffen up. Stiff muscles in your neck can feel like soreness that develops into restricted mobility in your neck.
Reduced Range of Motion
Whiplash can cause a reduced range of motion in your neck when muscles are stretched, strained, and stiffened due to the injury. If you have a whiplash injury, you may experience difficulty turning your head from side to side or up and down without pain and discomfort.
Back and Shoulder Pain
Back and shoulder pain can also occur with a whiplash injury. The pressure and strain on your upper back and shoulders during a car accident can cause pain, tenderness, and stiffness in these areas as well.
Tingling & Numbness
In addition to pain and stiffness, you may also experience a pins and needles sensation like tingling and numbness. This may occur at the base of your skull, along the back of your neck, or extend into your shoulders and arms.
Neurological Effects of Whiplash
Whiplash can also cause neurological symptoms. Here are examples of the neurological effects of whiplash and what that might feel like for you.
Headaches
Headaches are another common symptom of whiplash. You may develop headaches along the base of your skull that feel like a dull, throbbing pain. The strained muscles and ligaments in your neck can cause pain in your head. It is also possible to suffer a head injury like a mild concussion with whiplash, which could also be the source of your headaches.
Referred Pain
Whiplash can also cause referred pain, which means pain that you experience elsewhere in the body. For example, a nerve in your neck aggravated by the whiplash injury could cause tingling and numbness in your arm and hand. Just because you have pain symptoms elsewhere in your body doesn’t mean that you haven’t suffered a whiplash injury.
Dizziness
When the spine in your neck is aggravated or damaged from a car accident, it can lead to dizziness. One type of dizziness is called vertigo, which can feel like the room is spinning and you can’t find solid footing. These are neurological symptoms of an injury that is impacting your central nervous system.
Pinched Nerve
Whiplash can also lead to pinched nerves in your neck and upper back. A bulging or herniated disc can occur with whiplash due to the stress and pressure on the spine in your neck. When a spinal disc or other aggravated soft tissue compresses a nearby nerve, it can disrupt the healthy functioning of the nerve and cause pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness.
Nerve Damage
The spinal nerve roots in your neck can also become pinched or inflamed due to whiplash. If the pressure from a pinched nerve continues, it can damage the affected nerve and even lead to permanent nerve damage.
Treatment for Whiplash
There are several options to help you experience lasting relief from the pain and neurological symptoms of whiplash. The first thing you should do is rest and try not to stress or strain your neck and upper body too much after the car accident. This allows any swelling and inflammation a chance to go down and reduce pressure on your spine and neck. Applying ice and heat compresses can also help provide soothing pain relief and help relax stiff, sore muscles. Your car accident doctor may also recommend over-the-counter medications to help with pain and inflammation. At AICA Orthopedics in Atlanta, our team of car accident doctors includes chiropractors, neurologists, physical therapists, and more who work together to provide you with quality, comprehensive care. You will receive a personalized treatment plan that addresses your specific symptoms and helps you meet your goals for healing and recovery. Visit a chiropractor in Atlanta at AICA Orthopedics to learn more about how you can experience lasting relief from pain and neurological problems associated with whiplash.