Car accidents are an unfortunate part of modern life. Neck pain from a car accident is very common. Whether they are our fault or not, even a small accidents can result in long-term injury. Even a seemingly inconsequential five mile-per-hour tap on your rear end can result in serious neck injuries. The problem will only worsen if your neck isn’t treated in a timely manner. Massage therapy helps car accident injuries such as whiplash.
Neck Pain From a Car Accident – Whiplash and Massage
Whiplash may bring to mind images of poor victims with large foam neck braces. It looks painful and it is. Neck pain from a car accident is very common. It can cause an extreme stiffness in the neck and even long-term nerve damage that manifests as far away as your arm and hand.
The condition is most often caused when you are struck from behind. This collision may happen while you’re driving but it’s also possible when playing sports or a slip-and-fall on a slick floor. When a sudden and unexpected rear-end collision occurs, your neck is whipped backwards and then forwards, much like you might think of with an actual whip.
Believe it or not, many whiplash victims don’t realize that they have a problem. If you are in a rear-end collision, you might feel a slight twinge or mild discomfort in your neck. It is easy to disregard this as a temporary problem and go about your day. However, this is when you need to seek treatment.
If possible, head to an emergency room and have them take images of your neck. This way you can receive a medical assessment that can be used when making a claim against the other driver’s insurance. But more importantly, neck pain from a car accident should be treated as soon as possible. Sometimes your neck will seem fine until a few days after the accident. If you don’t receive a proper diagnosis to being with, monitor your neck for any signs of trouble.
If you begin to feel extreme stiffness and pain, it’s time to start treatment. Whiplash will not take care of itself, as in a mild abrasion or a headache. Whiplash will only get worse and cause more and more discomfort over time. Some find that their neck becomes immobilized and they may experience extreme pain shooting down their left arm. Thankfully, massage therapy helps to alleviate whiplash symptoms.
Therapeutic massage seeks to relieve the pain and help your muscles relax to thereby facilitate greater range of motion. It may also help to take mild analgesics such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen (aka Tylenol.) Your massage therapist will help you further assess the injury and may recommend mild exercises that will help treat your neck in between massage sessions.
Massage After an Automobile Accident
Even if you aren’t injured in an accident, a massage may be just the thing you need. Collisions are always traumatic and can add more stress to an already stressful schedule. Since massage is well-known for helping us relax, it’s a terrific idea to schedule a massage after you’ve had a collision.
Even if you don’t feel an immediate injury after an automobile accident, seek medical attention and make sure that you are okay. X-rays may reveal problems that aren’t immediately evident, including issues that may be pre-existing but not yet diagnosed. Massage therapy will help car accident injuries, including whiplash.
Find the Right Massage Therapist
To find the right massage therapist near you, do what we do for so many thing: search the internet. Try a simple search such as: car accident massage therapist near me. Investigate their website to ensure that they are a fully licensed Oregon massage therapist who knows how to treat your injury.
Once you’ve found a qualified massage therapist, make sure they are conveniently located and have appointment times that suit your schedule. Keep in mind that it’s vital that you make an appointment as soon as possible. Whiplash injuries only get worse over time and you don’t want to put it off any longer than necessary.
