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Signs of Whiplash

Whiplash is a catch-all term that refers to neck injuries that occur as a result of a car accident or other blow to the head. People who are injured after being “rear-ended,” or hit by a car from behind, are at the greatest risk of a whiplash injury. However, athletes who play a contact sport often suffer from neck strain. Whiplash injuries have also been associated with bicycle accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, as well as contact sports.
Any impact that causes your head to jerk back and forth can cause the kind of neck strain referred to as whiplash. The sudden force tears the muscles, ligaments, and tendons located in your neck because the rapid movement of the neck is outside of your neck’s normal range of motion. In a typical incident your body is pushed forward at an accelerated rate while your head remains momentarily behind. The muscles in your neck automatically react to bring your neck back in line which can result in the overextension of muscles and tissues.
The most common whiplash symptoms are
  • Pain and stiffness of the neck
  • Worsening of that pain with movement
  • Headaches and dizziness
  • Tingling or numbness in arms
  • Pain in the shoulder and upper back region
  • Fatigue
Less common symptoms of whiplash include muscle spasms, blurry vision, tinnitus or ringing in your ears, irritability, and memory loss. Generally, symptoms of whiplash do not appear until the following day after the incident or accident that causes the neck trauma. This delay in the onset of pain can cause victims to neglect receiving treatment.
When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention
There are two main reasons to seek immediate medical attention after experiencing sudden, forceful jerking of your head and neck.
  1. You may have suffered a serious injury. It is good to keep the following in mind:
  2. Any blow to the head can be extremely dangerous if not diagnosed and treated. A hard blow to your head or sudden impact from a car accident can cause your brain to shake inside of your skull or even collide with it.
  3. The internal movement of your brain could result in brain bruising, nerve damage, or broken blood vessels. While a concussion is considered a mild form of this kind of brain damage, it can still cause long term problems if you fail to obtain proper treatment.
2. You may want to recover damages from the driver who caused the car accident. Because whiplash is a common ailment resulting from a car wreck and can sometimes cause serious injuries, it is important to have proper medical records documenting your experience.
  1. Car insurance companies pay careful attention to medical records they receive in order to determine a settlement award. If your injuries are not documented or you do not follow the prescribed treatment plan, you risk reducing the value of your personal injury case.
  2. A general practitioner can examine you and will ask about the incident that caused the neck strain. The doctor may require you to undergo an x-ray or a MRI to rule out a more serious diagnosis. The doctor could then prescribe painkillers or a neck brace.
If you believe you have incurred whiplash due to someone else’s negligence, contact an attorney immediately. A personal injury lawyer relies on can help you begin recovering damages very soon after first experiencing your injury from an accident.