Legal pages - Whiplash Injury

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Whiplash Injury

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Many people have experienced minor degrees of whiplash. If you've ever been on the dodgems at the fair you will have experienced the same level of whiplash as you would in an accident between a stationary car and one going at ten miles an hour.Whiplash is caused by the head being thrown forwards and then back by a sudden impact. This stretches the muscles and ligaments in the neck and results in a strain of these structures.Minor whiplash occurs in impacts up to 15mph or so. Usually pain from a minor degree of whiplash does not come on until the morning after the accident with the patient waking with a stiff neck and perhaps headache. The treatment of minor whiplash is early mobilisation.Sometimes painkillers such as Nurofen can help but you are equally likely to find a rub such as radian B helpful.Massage warmth and early physiotherapy all help. Usually symptoms from mild whiplash will last a few days and painkillers perhaps required for less than a week.No long term problems are likely if it is treated properly. Immobilisation in a collar is likely to make things worse not better.

A moderately severe whiplash injury occurs at higher velocity impacts.In more severe whiplash injury the strain placed on the neck muscles and ligaments is greater.There may be bleeding into the muscles and tendons.Some bruising may occur in the seatbelt area.If rotation is involved then other structures in the neck may be damaged such as the nerves which pass between the vertebrae and out to the arm.Damage to these nerves can result in pain down the arm tingling and numbness.The nerve can also be trapped by swelling and inflammation in the muscles through which the nerves pass.Moe severe injury may mean it is difficult to turn the head or move it from side to side.this is usually due to muscle spasm.Rub ins can help but with a more severe injury painkillers will be necessary.Sleep can be disturbed by pain.The lower back and upper part of the thoracic spine (the bit below the neck) can also be affected.pain in the back is often as a result of poor posture as a result of avoiding using the spine normally because of pain.Usually the symptoms last a couple of weeks in a form which requires regular painkillers.Subsequently things settle down and after 6 months or so the neck is back to normal.Early physiotherapy helps to ensure a full recovery and if you are considering a claim you may be able to recover the costs of this through your personal injury claim.Unfortunately physiotherapy on the NHS can take a long time to arrange and in whiplash injury early treatment is preferable.

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Severe Whiplash Associated Injury - Severe whiplash is associated with a higher energy impact.40mph plus.This will result in the kind of injuries mentioned above but to a more severe degree.Damage to the nerves to the arm may be significant causing loss of sensation in the upper arm weakness in the arm or hand and significant pian over the shoulders.Pain may be intense enough regularly to disturb sleep and strong painkillers are required often for a period of a month or two.Damage may be done to the small joints of the neck Pain in the neck is felt iin the midline and to the sides.The intervertebral discs in the neck may be damaged causing their contents to press against the spinal cord or nerves in the neck causing pain down the arm and weakness.The injury may extend to the lower back causing either strain of the sacroiliac or lumbosacral joints.Dislocation of the sacroiliac joint is an uncommon but potentially disabling condition which can effectively be treated by manipulation or physiotherapy.In severe whiplash early physiotherapy for the neck may not be practical as the patient is in too much pain.Under these circumstances a soft collar worn at night may allow the patient to get some sleep.Exercises for the neck need to be started as soon as the patient is able to tolerate them.In more severe injuries the shoulders can also be affected.Symptoms will last for a few months in a distressing form and may take longer fully to recover.

Psychological effects of Whiplash - Even minor crashes can be diistressing.Some psychological changes such as irritability forgetfulness and poor concentration are quite common after moderate or sevee injuries.Depending on the precise circumstances of the accident psychological symptoms may be severe enough to be investigated by a psychiatrist .A lesson or two with an advanced driving instructor may sometimes help to restore confidence.An instructor can give advice on defensive driving techniques.

Site last updated - 17/9/04