Whiplash is a very common car accident injury. Many people suffer from this injury after the vehicle that they are traveling in has been rear-ended. This condition occurs when a sudden movement causes your neck and your upper spine to move suddenly. This sudden movement places a great deal of strain on your neck muscles and can cause a form of neck sprain. It is important to seek medical attention after you have been in a motor vehicle accident in Edmonton, AB. The expert physiotherapists at ProActive Physiotherapy will help you to recover from your injury.
How Does Whiplash Affect the Body?
Inertia causes your body to keep on moving even when the car that you are traveling in comes to a stop. This inertia causes your body, head, and neck to move at different speeds when the vehicle that you are in is struck by another vehicle. These forces will cause your neck to compress or extend too quickly. This is very difficult for the bones, muscles, and ligaments in your spine to tolerate. The more violent the car accident, the worse the injury is. You might experience microtrauma in your neck which will lead to neck pain. It is common to not feel any pain at first as hormones such as adrenaline will delay the onset of pain. You may begin to feel pain 12 to 24 hours after the accident has occurred.
What are the Symptoms?
Symptoms may begin immediately following a motor vehicle accident; however, other symptoms may take over 12 hours to appear. It can even be a few days before all the symptoms begin. Common symptoms of whiplash include:
- Stiffness
- Tenderness around the injury
- Pain that radiates from your neck to your head, back, and shoulders
- Muscle spasms
- Bruising and swelling
- Muscle weakness
- Feelings of numbness or “pins and needles”
- Dizziness or vertigo
Physiotherapy for Whiplash Injury
Physiotherapy is a very effective treatment for whiplash. The expert physiotherapists at ProActive Physiotherapy can assess your condition and customize a treatment plan for your recovery. They will work with you to ease your discomfort and restore proper function to the affected area. Call today to learn more about the whiplash physiotherapy Edmonton loves!
Tags: Car Accident Injury Treatment, What to do After Car Accident Injury ?, Whiplash Injury Treatment, physical therapy, physical therapists, Physiotherapy
