What Are Symptoms of Whiplash Injury?
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A whiplash injury effects the soft tissue in the neck and shoulders as well as constricting the vertebrae of the spine. The muscles, ligaments and tissues are strained beyond their normal range, which can also cause them to tear.
Whiplash is a common injury sustained during motor vehicle accidents but can often be ignored or dismissed. Whiplash injuries can be difficult to pinpoint and diagnose.
How is Whiplash Caused?
Neck injury from a car accident is a common injury during a motor vehicle accident, but it can occur in any situation where the circumstances. In a car accident, whiplash occurs in a seated position when impacted from behind.
The person’s upper body is thrown forward, but the neck and head fall backwards. After the first few seconds of impact, the head and neck are thrown forward.
The two positions contribute to the strain or tear of muscles and constriction of the spine. Any situation in which someone is stationary and impacted from behind has the potential to result in whiplash.
How Do I Know I Have Whiplash?
The injury can be hard to determine at first because there are no broken bones. Someone may not feel any pain for 24 hours after whiplash occurs. The symptoms of whiplash injury include the obvious pains like neck pain and headache.
There are other symptoms that might make a diagnosis confusing like fatigue, jaw pain and arm pain or weakness. Shoulder pain, dizziness and vision problems might seem unrelated to a whiplash injury. When the pain doesn’t subside, someone with whiplash might start to feel depressed, angry and frustrated.
Severe Whiplash Treatment
With major injury and requiring severe whiplash treatment, whiplash isn’t diagnosed through x-rays because tears in the muscles and ligaments are not visible on an x-ray. An MRI might be used to see tissue damage. A stiff neck, headache and an inability to move without pain along with the other symptoms will help with the diagnosis.
Whiplash Injury Signs and Symptoms From a Car Accident
With an impact from a collision, there are many symptoms of whiplash injury from a car accident.
With an automobile accident whiplash, the head can have an abrupt and sudden movement causing injury to the neck or spine.
Here are some of the symptoms Core Wellness Centre Toronto sees in our auto injury patients:
- Chronic or acute pain
- Neck pain
- Headaches
- Back pain, lower back pain
- Dizziness
- Pain in shoulders, arms and/or legs
- Numbness and/or tingling
- Ear ringing / tinnitus
- Swallowing difficulties
- Breathing difficultis
Some signs and symptoms of whiplash injury from a car accident:
Neck pain and stiffness:
For whiplash, this is one of the most common symptoms, right after the accident or developing hours or days later.
Headaches:
Whiplash can cause headaches that are typically felt at the base of the skull and may be accompanied by dizziness or lightheadedness.
Reduced range of motion:
Whiplash can make it difficult to move the head and neck, and there may be a feeling of tightness or discomfort when trying to do so.
Shoulder or back pain:
Whiplash can also cause pain in the shoulders or upper back, as the force of the accident can cause the body to be thrown forward and back.
Numbness or tingling:
Some people may experience a sensation of numbness or tingling in the arms or hands, which can be a sign of nerve damage.
Fatigue:
Whiplash can cause fatigue or a feeling of general malaise, which may be due to the body’s response to the injury.
Ringing in the ears:
Whiplash can cause ringing or other noises in the ears, which may be due to damage to the inner ear or auditory nerve.
We have treated many auto injury patients at our Toronto clinic
and have over 15 years of experience diagnosing and developing
personal treatment plans for these cases.
Extended health care benefits offer chiropractic, physiotherapy and RMT.
We can help you recover with treatment for whiplash neck injuries
Call today (416) 479 – 8311
How Can Physiotherapy and Chiropractic Care Help with Neck Injury from Car Accident?
In the past, cervical collars were worn for weeks, but studies have shown that keeping the neck immobilized for several weeks slows down the healing process. Early range of motion exercises are crucial to a quicker recovery. Unfortunately, a quick recovery from whiplash can still take weeks or months.
Dr. Kris and the Core Wellness Centre Team have treated hundreds of patients with muscle strains and tears and showing whiplash symptoms. Core Wellness Centre offers direct billing and covers most insurance plans.
Core Wellness Centre has in-house x-rays and digital posture analysis along with his expertise to help return the patient’s range of motion and be free from pain.
Treatment for Symptoms of Whiplash Injury
It’s better to visit our team of physiotherapists and chiropractors for whiplash treatment early so that the Team can recommend a treatment plan to reduce recovery time. Treatment for whiplash includes professional evaluation, the latest treatment processes to return one back to great health as soon as possible.
Toronto Treatment of Whiplash Injuries
The Core Wellness Centre Team offer effective, safe and gentle physiotherapy and chiropractic treatment for whiplash neck injury. Call (416) 479 – 8311 to book your appointment.
Core Wellness Centre is located with easy access to downtown Toronto at 726 St Clair Ave W near Christie Street.