Estimates suggest that roughly two million Americans suffer a whiplash injury every year. These injuries occur when a person’s body remains in a steady position while their head snaps forward or backwards as a result of a great force placed on the body. Given the mechanics of the injury, the most common event that leads to whiplash injury is a car accident, especially rear-end collisions. Countless adults also get treatment for whiplash injuries they suffer during athletic activity.
When your head and neck are subjected to a fast change in direction, it puts excessive strain on the muscles and soft tissues that help to support your neck, oftentimes leading to tissue strains, localized inflammation and nerve damage. Many people who suffer a whiplash injury want to know if it’s something that will eventually go away on its own, or if medical intervention is necessary. We explain if whiplash will go away on its own in today’s blog.
Does Whiplash Heal On Its Own?
If you came to this page looking for answers to whether or not you need to do anything in order to help your whiplash injuries resolve, you’ve come to the right place. The vast majority of patients with mild, moderate or severe cases of whiplash will find that they can make a great recovery without surgery. However, that’s not to say that whiplash will just eventually go away on its own. Whiplash usually heals without surgery, but it requires proactive treatment for best results.
If you’re hoping to treat a new or existing whiplash injury that you are dealing with, here are some of the best ways that you can work to proactively put the problem in the past.
- Short-Term Rest – Your muscles and soft tissues in the head and neck area have been injured and are in a weakened state, so the best thing you can do for your body in the short term is provide it with rest and protection. Continuing to put strain on the area may do additional damage, so you’ll want to avoid strenuous activity for a little while. Depending on the severity of your whiplash, a soft collar or brace can provide some additional protection.
- Consider Getting An Evaluation From A Doctor – Whiplash symptoms are notoriously famous for showing up days or weeks after the initial injury. The main reason for this is because when they occur during a car accident or sporting event, your body produces adrenaline as your fight or flight instincts kick in. This adrenaline can mask symptoms for a short while, so you may want to have a doctor take a closer look at your head and neck, especially if you are at all considering filing for workers’ compensation or a personal injury lawsuit. They will need documented proof of your injuries, and if you wait weeks to see a physician, it may prove more difficult to tie your symptoms to the event in question. A doctor can also provide you with an individualized treatment plan based on your specific injuries.
- Ice/Heat/Anti-Inflammatories – Use cold packs, hot pads and anti-inflammatories to manage discomfort as you start to work out of the protection stage. Cold therapy will aid in swelling prevention, while heat can help draw healthy blood to structures that need oxygen- and nutrient-dense blood for the recovery process. Anti-inflammatories can work to quell inflammation that may develop following the tissue damage or as you slowly start to strengthen the tissues in the next stage of recovery.
- Gentle Movements/Stretches/Physical Therapy – After you’ve protected the area and the healing process has begun, you want to help it along by working to strengthen the soft tissues that have been damaged and get them used to performing some normal movements once again. Gentle movements and stretches can help improve your range of motion, while physical therapy exercises can strengthen injured ligaments. Rest alone won’t help you get back to a pre-injury level of fitness and strength in your neck, so don’t assume that protection will be your only course of treatment. Eventually you’ll need to start carefully strengthening the affected soft tissues. Doctor or PT-led exercises can help resolve symptoms once and for all.
- Gradual Reintroduction To Physical Activities – Finally, you’ll want ease back into more physical activities. Pushing your body too quickly can lead to a setback, so listen to your body as you start taking on bigger physical challenges. It can take months to fully recover from a whiplash injury, so don’t just jump back into strenuous activities the first time you notice an improvement in symptoms.
Whiplash injuries can go away without surgery or major hands-on care from a doctor, but it won’t just go away on its own. You need to lead this charge over the course of a few weeks or months with proactive treatment, and we’d be happy to help develop a recovery program for your specific needs. For more information, or for help with a different spinal issue, connect with Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
