The necessity of protecting your neck
Incredibly, every 17 seconds in the United States, a driver gets rear-ended. Unfortunately, a lot of vehicles, particularly ones manufactured prior to 2009, don’t have good whiplash safeguards. Whiplash is incredibly common and can even happen when the car that hits you is only going 10 mph.
Actually, whiplash (neck strain or sprain) is the most prevalent injury reported by people in collisions, per data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The people most at risk are taller individuals, particularly women.
Symptoms of whiplash
There are often other symptoms involved with whiplash that go beyond the neck pain. They may include:
· pain in your lower back
· pain or tingling in your extremities
· headaches
· visual disturbances or ringing in your ears
· difficulty focusing and remembering.
While your symptoms may suggest that you have whiplash, medical imaging allows a doctor to see what specific damage occurred during the accident.
#1 – Importance of head restraint
The good news is that head restraints have gotten much more sophisticated in the last few years. Between 2005 and 2014, the number of head restraints that were rated “good” in IIHS rear-crash testing rose incredibly, from 12% to 95%.
Beyond getting a new car, you can make a major impact by adjusting your headrest to best protect your neck. “The top of a head restraint should reach as high as the top of your head if it will adjust that far, or at least as far as the top of your ears, and be set back no more than 4 inches from your head,” explains Consumer Reports.
#2 – Reduction of impact through action
Don’t delay getting medical attention at the scene of the accident or thereafter. If you don’t feel pain until later that day or even the next week, go to a doctor immediately, notes legal copywriter Patrick T. Langley. “Documenting whiplash as soon as you are able is essential if your injury magnifies and you need to make a personal injury claim,” he says. “Furthermore, identifying a problem early can help you get on the road to recovery as soon as possible and prevent further damage.”
#3 – Whiplash treatment
Are you currently suffering from the pain of whiplash? At Health Star Clinic, our responsible pain management approach works to avoid all surgical options and minimize the need for prescription medication. See our New Patient Promises.