Common symptoms of whiplash

Whiplash occurs from a hard jolt of the neck, usually as a result of a car accident on a Louisiana road. It can also be caused from playing contact sports, a fall or an object striking the neck. Whiplash appears similar to neck strain, and they have the same symptoms.

Symptoms of whiplash

Some symptoms of whiplash may show immediately or within 24 hours while other symptoms take longer. How fast the vehicle traveled before the accident rarely has an impact on the symptoms. A vehicle moving slowly that hits another vehicle from behind can still cause serious injury.

Some drivers who experience whiplash may feel a dull ache after the accident and have trouble turning their head. They could experience a drop in the range of motion and neck tightness.

Some other possible symptoms include headaches especially at the skull base, muscle spasms, blurred vision, dizziness, fatigue and arm numbness or tingling. Less common symptoms may include irritability, insomnia, concentration issues and ear ringing known as tinnitus.

Whiplash vs. neck sprain

The same forced jerking motion causes injury in whiplash and neck sprain, but it affects different soft tissues of the neck. A neck sprain involves injury to the ligaments, which are the tissues that connect bones. Examples of a neck sprain include holding a phone between the ear and shoulder or sleeping in a wrong position. A neck strain results from overuse or traumatic injury to the tendons, groups of collagen tissue joining bones to muscles.

Neck sprains and strains commonly get the same treatment. In most cases, doctors use a battery of tests to rule out other causes of symptoms. Some of these tests usually include MRIs, X-rays and CT scans to examine the soft tissues.

Whiplash from car accidents rarely causes lasting injury, but it can temporarily make life inconvenient and painful. Injured parties have the right to recover damages from the party responsible for the accident.