If you are involved in a car accident, you could suffer from a wide variety of injuries. One of the most common injuries you could get would be whiplash. No matter how minor the accident is, it would be best to contact Idaho personal injury lawyers for advice.
Personal injury whiplash is caused by the head jerking forwards and backward due to strong opposing forces. Most cases of neck strain after an accident are referred to as whiplash.
Whiplash should not be confused with neck sprains as they are quite similar. They are both characterized by:
- Neck pain when moving your head
- Restricted range of motion in the neck
- Tenderness in the neck muscles
- Headaches at the base of the skull
If any of the above symptoms of personal injury whiplash persists, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. However, there is much you can do to manage the above symptoms, including:
Icing Your Neck
If you have personal injury whiplash, you will feel plenty of pain in your neck. You may even have some swelling around the neck area.
The best way to address the two would be to ice your neck for fifteen minutes every three to four hours. However, do not apply the ice directly to your neck.
Wrap the ice in a thin towel or piece of cloth. You may also take a cold bath where you immerse your head for the same effect. If you do so for several days, your pain should subside.
Use a Neck Brace or Collar
Moving your neck will be very painful if you sustain personal injury whiplash due to the restricted range of motion. Therefore, you should avoid moving your head as much as possible until you recover.
It can be challenging to keep your head still, so why not use a neck brace or collar to help keep your head still. You should use one after a doctor’s recommendation, but they could help ease the pain for a few days.
Using a neck brace or collar is a short-term strategy until you can get sufficient medical attention.
Massage
Getting a neck massage could do wonders for your neck pain after personal injury whiplash. Massage has been a technique to ease the pain for millennia.
You should get some oils and rub your neck gently for about fifteen minutes every few hours. It will help increase blood flow to the area, which will also reduce inflammation and neck pain.
A professional massage would produce the best results. However, if you cannot afford one massaging yourself or having a loved one do it will help.
Stretching
The last thing you might want to do if you have personal injury whiplash is moving your neck. However, stretching could have many benefits for your neck, particularly in terms of reducing neck pain.
Since you have a restricted range of motion when you have whiplash, gently stretching your neck muscles will help you restore mobility in your neck. Please do it for a few minutes every few hours and witness the benefits.
Whiplash is more common than most people think, and many people underestimate it. If left untreated, it could lead to severe medical issues. Use the tips above to feel better but know they are not a substitute for treatment.
