Whiplash injuries don't necessarily "return." It's more like your whiplash just never goes away, instead of coming back. If whiplash is left untreated, it can have serious, long-term effects. Like we mentioned before, most cases of whiplash resolve within a few weeks or months if victims receive prompt medical care.

Can whiplash show up months later?

The primary symptom of whiplash is neck or upper back pain. The pain can start immediately or develop days, weeks, or sometimes even months later. Symptoms can vary widely among individuals.

Is whiplash a permanent injury?

Whiplash can cause permanent damage and serious injuries if it is severe enough. Also known as cervical acceleration-deceleration injuries (CAD), they are very common in auto accidents.

Is whiplash worse the second time?

These authors found that 36 out of 37 (97%) asymptomatic patients and 27 out of 31 (87%) mildly symptomatic patients, who had previously sustained a whiplash injury, reported worse symptoms after a second injury.

Does whiplash injuries ever heal?

The majority of whiplash patients recover within 3 months. However, it is also possible for whiplash-related symptoms and disorders to become chronic. Risk factors that could indicate a longer recovery time from a whiplash injury include: Severe pain at time of injury.

Post-whiplash symptoms can worsen over time

38 related questions found

What part of the brain is damaged in whiplash?

Without significant loss of consciousness and peritraumatic amnesia, brain damage does not occur. Brain regions that are exposed to damage following acceleration-deceleration trauma are the prefrontal cortex, which is crucial for the more complex attentional functioning.

Does MRI show whiplash injury?

While whiplash does not have a definitive appearance in MRIs, they are useful for diagnosis. First, MRIs can rule out things like fractures, slipped discs, or other severe injuries that may cause pain, allowing doctors to determine whiplash as the primary injury to treat.

How do you know if whiplash is serious?

How is whiplash diagnosed?

1. pain or stiffness in the neck that goes away and then returns.
2. severe neck pain.
3. pain, numbness, or tingling in your shoulders, arms, or legs.
4. any issues with your bladder or bowels.
5. localized weakness in an arm or leg.

What permanent damage can whiplash cause?

Whiplash can also cause damage to your nerves that results in persistent upper back, shoulder, neck pain, and other complications. If left untreated, you may be facing a variety of health issues in your future that limit what you can do.

How long can whiplash affect you?

Most people who have whiplash feel better within a few weeks and don't seem to have any lasting effects from the injury. However, some people continue to have pain for several months or years after the injury occurred. It is difficult to predict how each person with whiplash may recover.

Can whiplash affect you years later?

While most whiplash patients see improvement in their condition within several weeks or months of the injury, for those that do not seek treatment, chronic pain and discomfort can persist for several months and even years after sustaining the injury.

How do I fix my neck after whiplash?

What's the Treatment for Whiplash?

1. Ice your neck to reduce pain and swelling as soon as you can after the injury. ...
2. Take painkillers or other drugs, if recommended by your doctor. ...
3. Use a neck brace or collar to add support, if your doctor recommends it.

How long can whiplash be delayed?

What Are the Symptoms of Whiplash? Symptoms of whiplash may be delayed for 24 hours or more after the initial trauma. However, people who experience whiplash may develop one or more of the following symptoms, usually within the first few days after the injury: Neck pain and stiffness.

What happens if whiplash goes untreated?

Whiplash is no different. Like most other injuries, serious side effects can occur when left untreated: Stiffness and loss of motion. As well as the chronic neck pain and stiffness, untreated whiplash can even lead to degenerative disc disease and vertebrae misalignment.

Does whiplash pain come straight away?

How does it feel? A whiplash injury typically takes 12-24 hours to develop. At the time of the incident, any swelling or bruising to the neck muscles will not be apparent straight away. In most cases, the discomfort, pain, and stiffness is much worse on the following day, and may continue to worsen as each day goes by.

How do I know if my neck injury is serious?

Some signs of a serious neck injury:

1. Pain that doesn't go away or is severe.
2. Shooting pain in your arms or legs.
3. Numbness, weakness, or tingling in your arms or legs.
4. Trouble controlling your bladder or bowels.

How long does whiplash last after a car accident?

Most commonly, whiplash is fully healed within about six months of the incident, but about one-third of people report neck pain ten years later. A smaller fraction experience chronic pain at the site of the whiplash for the rest of their lives.

Can you get whiplash without impact?

You don't have to be in a car to get whiplash. While the most common cause of whiplash is front- or rear-impact car accidents, the injury can actually happen anytime, according to Vincent Traynelis, MD, a neurosurgeon at Rush University Medical Center.

Is stretching good for whiplash?

Whiplash is a spinal injury that damages the soft tissues in your cervical spine (neck). Simple exercises and stretches can help your spine heal from this injury, but you shouldn't stop there.

How long does a strained neck last?

With proper treatment and rest, most patients will recover from a neck strain or sprain within four to six weeks. If the strain or sprain is severe, it can take three months or more to fully recover.

How do you get over whiplash?

Either heat or cold applied to the neck for 15 minutes every three hours or so can help you feel better. Over-the-counter pain medications. Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), often can control mild to moderate whiplash pain.

When should I worry about neck injury?

Seek medical care if your neck pain is accompanied by numbness or loss of strength in your arms or hands or if you have shooting pain into your shoulder or down your arm.

Do insurance companies cover whiplash?

Included in the changes is a system for whiplash compensation, which means a fixed amount of compensation is paid out. Insurers are also prohibited from making settlements for whiplash unless they've seen medical evidence of such injuries.

What is chronic whiplash syndrome?

Whiplash syndrome is a cluster of symptoms that are commonly attributed to an obscure neck injury following an MVA. The symptoms are neither radicular, or myelopathic. They include headache, neck pain, neck spasm, jaw pain, shoulder pain, diffuse numbness and weakness in the upper extremities.

Can whiplash be intermittent?

A spasm is an involuntary muscle contraction, which in the case of whiplash may happen intermittently or in succession, and either way, you find it quite painful.