Whiplash symptoms include body aches, headaches, nerve spasms, memory problems, and mental acuity issues. Prompt diagnosis is crucial for successful treatment, which may include therapeutic and medicinal therapies. Severe cases can take weeks to appear, and physical therapy or spinal manipulation may be necessary for healing.
Symptoms of severe whiplash can include a number of different things, but the most common tend to be body aches, severe and long-lasting headaches, and nerve spasms in the neck, back, and arms. In rare cases people may also have problems with memory and mental acuity. Most symptoms are treatable, but successful treatment usually depends on prompt diagnosis. Various therapeutic and medicinal therapies may also be involved. Severe cases can sometimes be perplexing as symptoms usually don’t appear right away. It can be days or even weeks after an accident or trauma before a person begins to feel pain or pressure. Getting evaluated after any type of crash or accident is usually a good idea, and monitoring your symptoms and changes over time is also important.
Understand whiplash in general
Whiplash normally occurs when the head and neck suddenly move forward and then immediately back without the muscles responding. The injury is perhaps most common in rear-end collisions with vehicles. The occupants of the stricken car are most at risk, particularly if they are not moving. The brutal impact of being hit from behind often causes passengers’ heads to snap forward as seat belts restrain their torsos and bodies. Falling, diving, or any intense blow to the head can also cause whiplash.
Degrees of injury
Most cases are not serious. The common symptoms of mild to moderate whiplash can occur immediately after an accident or develop gradually over a series of days. People who have suffered severe whiplash, however, more often feel nothing the first day, but wake up the next morning or even several days later with stiffness and pain in the neck area. Symptoms often progress or worsen over time and often radiate down the spine and up through the arms.
Severe whiplash is usually not life threatening, although it can be scary. Symptoms and recovery times tend to vary greatly from patient to patient, which is why timely and consistent medical care is an important part of the healing process.
Muscle aches and headaches
Extreme pain and stiffness is one of the first things most people with this condition notice. The pain is often worst in the morning or after long periods of rest; tension often builds up in muscles at rest, and inactivity, such as during sleep, can temporarily exacerbate the problem.
Dull headaches are also common. In many victims the pain in the head is more or less constant; over-the-counter pain relievers can bring temporary relief, but many find that once the medication wears off the headache has returned. Most often the pain is caused by muscle contractions in the back of the neck, but it can also be a sign of an ecchymosis of the brain or, in very serious accidents, a concussion. When the neck snaps back and forth, the brain vibrates in the skull and can be damaged, even marginally.
Nerve spasms
Neck hyperextension, which is basically an extension of the muscles beyond the normal range of motion, can cause the ligaments or muscles in the neck to become overstretched and even tear. Severe whiplash can sometimes cause discs, spinal joints, and nerve roots to become deformed or ruptured. Soft tissue damage and inflammation can result in compression of nerve roots and cause excruciating pain.
cognitive symptoms
Other symptoms could include memory problems, dizziness and hearing problems. Problems with vision, particularly blurred vision and flounders, may also occur, although usually only in combination with a related brain or nerve injury. Depression and difficulty sleeping are also commonly reported.
Treatment options
Most cases of whiplash recover completely, although the time it takes can range from two to 12 weeks or more. Severe whiplash might take several months for full recovery, although some patients might develop long-term problems that can’t be fully cured. In some cases, chronic problems can last a lifetime.
In severe cases, physical therapy or spinal manipulation may be some of the best ways to facilitate healing. Anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, and pain relievers are often given to relieve discomfort and inflammation. Soft neck braces can help relax muscles to relieve pain, but prolonged use of a brace can delay recovery in many cases. For severe whiplash sufferers, if a fracture or dislocation has occurred, a contoured collar may be needed to stabilize the neck.
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