What you need to know about whiplash injuries

It typically happens in a split second – that screech of the brakes and then subsequent sound of metal clashing. The occupants in the car are jostled; often, their heads suddenly fly backwards and then quickly forward, resulting in a neck pain we know as “whiplash.”

Michael Stevens, clinic director at ATI Essex, explains what “whiplash” really is and how physical therapy can help treat the pain. 

“Often, whiplash is a ‘trash can’ diagnosis,” Michael says. “It’s not very specific. More often than not, whiplash is actually diagnosed as neck pain or strain, and there are many different levels of pain and strain associated with it.” 

Michael says his first step with a new patient suffering from whiplash is to figure out what happened to cause the pain. 

“Whiplash is almost always the result of a motor vehicle accident,” Michael says. “The first question I ask is, ‘How did your car fare in all of this?’ and that answer is very telling. I can have two people with the same whiplash diagnosis, but one totaled his car and was life-lined to the nearest hospital and another experienced a fender bender with repairable damage. It helps me determine the possible severity and the best course of treatment.” 

Although the diagnosis can range in severity, here are a few things you should know about whiplash:

• Diagnosis: Once someone experiences a car crash and subsequent neck pain, they will usually undergo an x-ray to rule out any other major injuries or issues. Next, they undergo an initial evaluation with a physical therapist to determine the best course of treatment.
• Length of treatment: Treatment lasts about four to six weeks, depending on the severity of the injury. Michael recommends that individuals seek medical attention sooner rather than later, even if they don’t feel that their injuries are severe.
• Type of treatment: Michael notes that whiplash is a type of acute injury and is treated with a combination of heat, soft tissue modalities, hands on treatment and gentle exercise to reduce pain and restore range of motion.

“Our end goal is to restore full range of motion for the patient,” Michael says. “We want to get them back to driving and it’s imperative that they can rotate their head to do all of that.”