Neck pain called whiplash

The neck pain type that car accident victims often get is whiplash. Whiplash is commonly caused by rear-end car accidents. But this type of neck pain called whiplash can also result from physical abuse, sports accidents, and other types of traumas. Whiplash is also called neck sprain or strain, but these terms also include other types of neck injuries.

What Are whiplash symptoms

Whiplash signs and symptoms usually show within days of the injury, and it may include:

  • Neck stiffness and pain,
  • Worsening neck pain with movement
  • Loss of range of motion in the neck
  • Headaches, most often starting at the base of the skull
  • Tenderness or pain in the shoulder, upper back, or arms
  • Tingling or numbness in the arms
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness

Some people also have:

  • Blurred vision
  • Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Irritability
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Memory problems
  • Depression

When to see a doctor?

Neck pain such as whiplash should immediately be attended to. If you have any neck pain or other whiplash symptoms after a car accident, traumatic injury, or sports injury. It’s vital to get a prompt and accurate diagnosis and to rule out broken bones or other damage that can cause or worsen symptoms.

Whiplash causes

Whiplash often occurs when your head is forcefully and quickly thrown backward and forward. This movement can injure bones in the spine, disks between the bones, muscles, ligaments, nerves, and other tissues of the neck. And this may result from:

  • Auto accidents: whiplash is majorly caused by rear-end collisions.
  • Physical assault or abuse:  whiplash can occur if you are punched or shaken.
  • Sports: football tackles and other sports-related collisions can sometimes cause whiplash.

Complications

Most people that have whiplash feel better within a few weeks and don’t seem to have any lasting effects from the injury. However, some people continue to have pain for several months or years after the injury occurred. It is however difficult to predict how each person with whiplash may recover. In general, the person may be more likely to have chronic pain if the first symptoms were intense. However, patients suffering from whiplash will greatly benefit from chiropractic care.

 Neck pain expert in Charlotte, NC

Charlotte’s residents suffering from neck pain can be helped by a good chiropractor. ChiroCarolina™ specializes in treating patients for chronic and acute pain, car accidents, and all kinds of injuries. When it comes to follow-up care, ChiroCarolina™ stands above other area clinics. Every solution is pain-free!

ChiroCarolina®, one of Charlotte’s premier chiropractic clinics, is known throughout the Southeast for providing the best chiropractic care in the residential, NoDa, and college areas, conveniently located on North Tryon Street. Trust ChiroCarolina® in Charlotte:  visited by patients throughout the south:  North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, and Texas.