A common injury that we help people with here at Clear Physio is whiplash, where the neck is affected by sudden movement of the head, usually after a fall or a traffic accident of some kind.
What are the symptoms of whiplash?
Bear in mind that it can take a couple of hours before symptoms appear after a neck injury, but the main ones to look out for include:
- Neck pain
- Headaches
- Neck stiffness
- Difficulty moving your head
- Pain/muscle spasms in your shoulders and arms
What does whiplash feel like?
It can be hard to tell if you have whiplash, but here are some of the main physical sensations to monitor:
- Tightness and tenderness in the neck and upper back, especially when moving your head
- Headaches, where the pain originates from the base of the skull and radiates upwards to your forehead
- Reduced mobility in your neck, so that it’s hard or painful for you to turn your head from side to side
- Numbness, pain and tenderness radiating into your shoulders, arms and upper back
- Sharp pains or tightening in your neck muscles and shoulders
- Pins and needles
- Dizziness, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and irritability
Should I go to physio for whiplash?
Physiotherapy is an effective way to treat whiplash, using techniques like massage therapy, joint mobilisation, stretching and specific exercises to help reduce pain and swelling, while increasing flexibility.
Your physio will also be able to help retrain your neck muscles so that they function properly, while ensuring that your posture is correct, helping to reduce strain on the neck and shoulders.
Even if you’re only experiencing mild discomfort following your injury, it’s certainly worth making an appointment. If left unaddressed, your symptoms may slowly manifest into something more serious.
If you’d like to find out more, get in touch with the Clear Physio team today.
