Whiplash injuries are quite difficult to deal with, mainly because people rarely figure out this is what they are suffering from before it is quite late. The good news is that whiplash will normally get better alone in just a few months. However, in certain cases the symptoms can be troublesome and severe. Besides the fact that working with attorneys like Christensen & Hymas would be needed if the injury was caused by someone else, the really important thing is to basically take proper care of your health. Here is what you should remember.
Maintaining Mobility In The Neck
Resting the neck for long periods of times is a really bad idea after suffering from whiplash. The neck can be painful but as time passes movement will be easier and recovery will actually be faster. Pain that is experienced is quite normal and will not cause more damage. Carry on with the normal daily activities without using beck collars or neck braces. At the same time, try to avoid the unwanted situation in which you stay for long periods of times in just one position. Controlled neck exercises are going to help in reducing the felt stiffness.
Taking Care Of Yourself
In order to help your recovery and reduce pain, remember the following:
- Ice Pack – Use an ice pack for some days after the injury happened. Do hold the pack just for ten minutes but do it several times per day to reduce swelling and pain.
- Warm Compress – The next step is to just use warm water bottles near the neck in a similar way as with the ice packs.
- Maintaining Posture – It is important to always maintain an upright, good posture, with a straight back. That is especially the case when sitting for long periods of time.
- Use Supportive Pillows – This is useful in many cases as it helps people to sleep.
Using Painkillers
After a whiplash injury you can use painkillers so that pain can be reduced. In most situations the doctors are going to recommend over the counter medication. We often see ibuprofen and paracetamol as the first choices made. A mistake is to use the medication only when pain is too severe. If you take painkillers you should do it regularly, based on leaflets. When medication does not help in relieving pain, talking to the doctor to get access to something else is a necessity.
Physiotherapy
When whiplash continues for many weeks, physiotherapy is recommended. Different techniques will be use like massage, neck exercises and gentle neck manipulation. The general practitioner doctor is going to refer the patient to a specialist that would offer physiotherapy.
Long-Term Whiplash Injuries
In the event whiplash symptoms last for longer than 6 months, the condition of chronic whiplash develops. In this case we do not really know what treatment is going to be more effective. What was mentioned above is normally recommended and lifelong treatment is a possibility. Working with an experienced doctor is going to help much more than what you initially imagine.
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