Did You Suffer from Whiplash?

After getting into a fender bender, the first thing you want to do is get a medical examination. Most people mistakenly believe that fender benders or rear-end crashes do not result in serious injury often, but they can actually cause a severe problem: whiplash.

Though many view whiplash as a mild to moderate condition, it can have serious repercussions on the overall quality of your life.

Injuries Following Whiplash

Mayo Clinic takes a look at whiplash, a condition that often affects drivers involved in crashes. Whiplash occurs when the head and neck make a quick back-and-forward motion like a whip after getting hit from behind, hence the name. This can cause irritation of the spinal discs, including swelling and redness. Muscle tearing may also occur, and you can even sprain your neck or fracture bone depending on the strength behind the whiplash.

A Delayed Response

Unfortunately, you may not spot a whiplash injury right away. In many cases, you will only begin to sense something off-hours or even days after the initial collision. Pain often starts in the neck, radiating out through the back or into the head. Headaches that persist or worsen may follow, along with a pinching sensation in the neck or back.

You may even experience numbness or tingling especially in the arms or hands, which ties to pinched nerves. This is one of the common side effects of whiplash and it can range from annoying to disruptive, worsening your quality of life.

If you do not treat whiplash injury properly, you can suffer from prolonged or worsened effects. This is why immediate medical attention is so crucial.