In the hours and even days after a car accident, you might start noticing some pain and discomfort start to show up. It is common to experience a headache after a car accident, whether from the stress and trauma of the accident or even as a symptom of a bigger injury. A headache that won’t go away can be a sign that there is something more serious going on. If you’re dealing with a headache that won’t go away, you’re not alone, and there are many treatment options available to help alleviate the pain. From at-home remedies to professional medical care, here’s what you need to know about headaches that won’t go away.
Headaches as a Sign of Whiplash
In a car accident, the seatbelt and airbags can protect you from the neck down, but there is nothing that can truly help restrain your head and neck from getting really shaken up. Whiplash is the most common car accident injury, especially in rear-end collisions. If you’ve been in a fender-bender and maybe only have a few scrapes and bruises, you might think you’ve made it through okay. But whiplash is a sneaky type of car accident injury that often doesn’t present with symptoms right away. It can take hours and even days for symptoms like a persistent headache to show up and signal something is wrong.
When your head jostles forward and back or side to side with the force of the accident, it can affect the muscles, tendons, and bones in your neck. Your muscles and tendons may strain out of their usual range of motion, and they can even tear. The nervous system actually runs through the spinal column in your neck, and damage to your neck can affect your nerves. Even the discs that separate the vertebrae in your neck can get dislodged and put pressure on nearby nerves or cause the vertebrae to rub together painfully. Any of these injuries can cause swelling and pain, which can also contribute to your headache after a car accident.
Going to the Doctor after a Car Accident
The best thing you can do for your health and safety after a car accident is to visit the doctor. Because whiplash is so common and also slow to develop symptoms, many people go home after an accident feeling okay and thinking they don’t need a doctor after all. Once the symptoms set in, the pain and discomfort can become unbearable, and you may wish you’d gone to the doctor sooner. When a doctor is able to assess you right away after an accident, they can help provide you with proactive treatments to help when the pain does arrive.
Any time you suspect an injury to your head, neck, or spine, it is important to see a doctor to rule out anything serious. The spine supports your whole body and also houses the nervous system so that your brain can communicate to the rest of your body and tell your feet when to walk and your legs when to sit. Even a small injury to the spine can affect your body’s ability to function at its best and can make going through your daily tasks more difficult. A knowledgeable doctor skilled in treating car accident injuries can help identify any issues and help to minimize the pain and discomfort before it even begins.
Treating Headaches and Whiplash
Part of the treatment for whiplash will include treating your headache after a car accident that just won’t go away. A car accident doctor will treat both your symptoms and the injury itself so you can experience immediate pain relief as well as long-term healing. Your doctor may recommend a combination of pain medication, ice and heat therapies, and rest to help ease the pain immediately after the accident. Alternating ice and heat will help bring the swelling down and also encourage blood flow to the area so it can heal. Sore and strained muscles can benefit from both rest and gentle stretches to help you maintain your range of motion so your neck doesn’t become stiff.
Headaches are common when you have a neck injury like whiplash so treating the torn muscles or injured spine in your neck can help alleviate the headache. If your whiplash goes untreated, you run the risk of experiencing chronic pain and headaches, especially if the muscles don’t heal right or the discs separating your vertebrae stay out of place and begin to deteriorate. That is why it is best to be cautious and seek treatment for your headache after a car accident to make sure it doesn’t become something more serious.
What to Do for a Headache That Won’t Go Away
Headaches are some of the most common health complaints, and they affect millions of people worldwide. While many headaches are mild and short-lived, some can be persistent and leave you wondering what to do when a headache won’t go away. If you’re dealing with headaches that won’t go away, you’re not alone, and there are many treatment options available to help alleviate the pain. From at-home remedies to professional medical care, check out these potential treatment options for headaches that won’t go away.
Types of Persistent Headaches
Before we dive into treatments, it’s important to understand why you might have a headache that won’t go away. In addition to whiplash headaches after a car accident, there are several factors can contribute to prolonged headaches, including:
- Tension or Stress: Stress often triggers tension headaches, which can linger if not addressed.
- Migraine: Migraines are a chronic condition that lead to recurring or long-lasting headaches.
- Dehydration: A headache not going away may be a sign that your body needs more water.
- Caffeine Withdrawal: Cutting back on coffee or other caffeinated drinks can trigger headaches.
- Underlying Health Conditions: Persistent headaches may stem from sinus infections, vision problems, or even more serious neurological issues.
At-Home Remedies for Headaches
For many people, a few simple lifestyle changes and at-home remedies can be effective in reducing or eliminating persistent headaches. Here are some steps you can take:
- Hydration: Since dehydration is a common culprit for headaches that won’t go away, drinking plenty of water throughout the day and avoiding alcohol or sugary drinks can help.
- Rest and Relaxation: Stress is a major trigger for headaches. That’s why practicing relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga can help calm your mind and reduce muscle tension that contributes to headaches.
- Cold or Warm Compress: Apply a cold compress to your forehead for 15–20 minutes to reduce inflammation or a heating pad on your neck and shoulders to help ease muscle tension.
- Over-the-Counter Pain Relief: Non-prescription medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can offer temporary relief for occasional headaches. However, overuse can lead to rebound headaches, so it’s best to use these sparingly.
- Dietary Adjustments: Certain foods and additives, like MSG, artificial sweeteners, or aged cheese, can trigger headaches. You may want to try keeping a headache diary to identify potential dietary triggers. You can also talk to your doctor about an elimination diet to help target headache triggers.
Chiropractic Care for Persistent Headaches
For people dealing with a headache that won’t go away, chiropractic care is a non-invasive treatment option worth considering. Chiropractors focus on healthy alignment of the spine and nervous system, which play a major role in managing headache pain and other symptoms. These are just a few of the ways chiropractic care can help with a headache that won’t go away:
- Adjustments: Misalignment in the cervical spine can lead to tension headaches. A chiropractor can perform these safe, gentle adjustments to improve proper alignment and reduce pressure on nearby nerves.
- Muscle Tension Relief: Chiropractic care also includes non-invasive techniques like massage or stretching to reduce tension in the neck, shoulders, and back.
- Preventative Care: Regular visits to your Atlanta chiropractor can help reduce the frequency and severity of headaches.
Physical Therapy for Headaches
If your headache won’t go away, physical therapy might be another effective treatment option for you. Physical therapists specialize in improving mobility, reducing pain, and addressing muscle imbalances that may contribute to headaches. Check out these benefits of going to a physical therapist for headaches that won’t go away:
- Posture Correction: Poor posture can strain the neck and upper back, leading to headaches that won’t go away. A physical therapist can teach you proper posture techniques to practice throughout the day and night.
- Strengthening Exercises: Weak neck and shoulder muscles can actually make headaches worse. Work with a physical therapist to strengthen these muscles to help reduce tension.
- Manual Therapy: Hands-on techniques like myofascial release can relieve muscle tightness and improve blood flow in the area.
When to Visit a Neurologist
If your headache is not going away despite at-home remedies and conservative treatments, it may be time to consult a neurologist. Neurologists are specialists in the diagnosis and treatment of nervous system disorders, including chronic headaches.
What to Expect During a Neurologist Visit:
- Comprehensive Evaluation: A neurologist will take a detailed medical history and may order diagnostic imaging tests like MRIs or CT scans to rule out structural issues.
- Medications: Prescription medications, such as triptans for migraines or preventive drugs like beta-blockers, may be recommended for certain diagnoses.
- Advanced Treatments: In severe cases, treatments such as nerve blocks, Botox injections, or other techniques may be used.
Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Future Headaches
Preventing headaches that won’t go away often requires long-term changes to your daily habits. These are just a few examples of what you might do to help prevent future headaches from impacting your daily life:
- Regular Exercise: Regular physical activity can reduce stress and improve circulation, both of which help prevent headaches.
- A Good Night’s Sleep: Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep each night and make a consistent sleep routine.
- Balanced Diet: Eat regular, nutritious meals to avoid blood sugar fluctuations that can trigger headaches and other uncomfortable symptoms.
- Limit Screen Time: Prolonged screen use can cause eye strain and headaches, especially at night. Take regular breaks and use blue light filters to help reduce eye strain.
When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention
While most headaches are not life-threatening, some signs indicate the need for urgent care. If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s best to err on the side of caution and visit an urgent care near you.
- Headache following a head injury
- Headache accompanied by confusion, weakness, or vision changes
- Sudden, severe headache (also known as a thunderclap headache)
- Persistent headaches unresponsive to treatment
Finding the Right Treatment for You
Dealing with a headache that won’t go away can be frustrating, but thankfully, there are many treatment options available. From at-home remedies to professional care like chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, and meeting with a neurologist, relief is within reach. The key is to find the best combination of treatments that works best for you. The team of chiropractors, physical therapists, neurologists, and more at AICA Atlanta will develop a treatment plan just for you so you can experience headache pain relief and start recovering as soon as possible.