Getting into an automobile accident of any sort can be a scary, sometimes traumatizing experience. In addition to dealing with insurance companies, figuring out how to repair your car’s damage and reliving the event in your head, many accidents can also cause physical damage to your body that needs to be addressed quickly and appropriately.

The most common injury that results from car accidents—especially rear-end collisions—is whiplash. These types of injuries occur when the neck experiences a forceful back-and-forth movement due to the sudden impact upon the car. Although any sudden movement that forces the neck to move in this manner can cause whiplash, automobile accidents are responsible for the majority of them.

Whiplash injuries, which are also called whiplash-associated disorders, often lead to neck pain, stiffness, headaches, loss of range of motion, dizziness, fatigue or tenderness in the shoulders, arms or back. Although symptoms may develop within the first 24 hours after the accident, in some cases it may take a few days or longer for patients to notice them. Unfortunately, if whiplash is not treated properly and soon after it takes place, it may lead to long-term issues. This is one of the main reasons that about one-third of people who experience whiplash injuries still have symptoms up to three years later.

In many cases, this is due to the fact that initial whiplash injury treatment typically consists of painkillers and the use of a neck brace to prevent it from moving too much. This type of approach does not actually address the injury itself, and will rarely lead to any notable improvements. Physical therapy, on the other hand, is designed to repair the damaged structures in the neck and surrounding areas in order to reduce symptoms and help patients move their neck normally again.

At CAM Physical Therapy and Wellness Services, our whiplash injury treatment in Laurel is customized to each patient’s condition and usually consists of the following:

Whiplash injury treatment in Laurel

• Stretching exercises: by moving the neck and surrounding structures with a variety of gentle exercises, patients will regain flexibility in the region
• Strengthening exercises: the longer the neck muscles are not used due to pain and stiffness, the weaker they become; these types of exercises will build the muscles in this region back up
• Posture training: it’s important to use proper posture after experiencing a whiplash injury, and your therapist will train you in ways to improve it
• Deep tissue massage: your therapist will target muscles that are tense with direct pressure and friction in order to relieve symptoms
• Hot and cold therapy: depending on the stage of your whiplash, either hot or cold therapies may be applied directly to the neck to reduce pain

Car accidents certainly have the power to temporarily shake up your life, but they shouldn’t be responsible for causing long-term issues that could’ve been avoided. For whiplash injury treatment in Laurel, Hyattsville, Glenn Dale/Bowie or Parkville/Baltimore, MD, call CAM Physical Therapy and Wellness Services at 301-853-0093 to schedule an appointment, or click here for more information.