By Ajit Lamba 02/08/2021 CTP Claims, Motor Vehicle Accident, Whiplash

Whiplash Pain Relief

Physiotherapy Professionals Parramatta 12 Ada Street Harris Park NSW 2150: Whiplash Pain Relief after sustaining a motor vehicle accident

Whiplash Pain Relief After Sustaining a Motor Vehicle Accident

Physiotherapy can help you with but is not limited to:

Full physical examination
Initial assessment report
Advice on the rehabilitation process and expected time frame for return to driving and your previous level of function
Regular physiotherapy reports to other Allied Health Specialties
Education on motor vehicle accident legal process
Provision of a supervised gym rehabilitation program to facilitate your recovery based on your issues

Physiotherapy Treatments for Whiplash:

In the past, people who had suffered whiplash were advised to rest and wear a soft cervical collar to support and protect the neck by keeping it immobile. This is no longer an advisable treatment. More recently, research has shown that you’re more likely to have an earlier and more complete recovery if you stay active and continue to exercise sensibly. Physiotherapy is extremely important component of your whiplash recovery.

Treat Whiplash at home:

Applying a warm pack or ice pack to the sore area for 5-10 minutes for the first couple of days after the injury
Taking pain relief or anti-inflammatory medication
Using a pillow to support your neck while sitting or lying in bed
Avoiding sleeping on your stomach
Taking regular breaks if you spend a lot of time sitting at a desk
Maintain gentle physical activity

What is whiplash?

Whiplash is an injury to the muscles, tendons, ligaments and other soft tissues of the neck. It’s caused by a sudden and vigorous movement of the head – sideways, backwards or forwards beyond its usual range of movement. With specialized physio treatment for whiplash, you can resume your regular lifestyle sooner.

What causes whiplash?

Whiplash injuries are most commonly caused by motor vehicle accidents, where the head is suddenly jolted backwards and forwards in a whip-like movement. Other causes include:

A fall where the head is jolted or jarred
A sudden blow to the head from contact sports
Being hit on the head by something heavy

Common symptoms of whiplash:

Common symptoms of a whiplash injury are stiffness or soreness in the upper back, headache, loss of neck movement and pain in the neck. Some people may also feel dizzy, experience blurred vision, ringing in the ears and pain when swallowing. Whiplash symptoms may not appear until several days after the injury.

Common questions we often hear from our patients at our Parramatta clinic:

I’VE RECENTLY BEEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT – DO I HAVE WHIPLASH?

Around one-third of people involved in a car accident will feel no whiplash symptoms, one-third will develop some symptoms that clear up in a few weeks, and one-third will develop severe symptoms which may persist for some time.

If you’ve recently been in a motor vehicle accident and have symptoms including pins and needles or numbness, difficulty speaking or swallowing, gait problems or fainting spells, you should see your GP immediately to discuss your symptoms.