No one plans to get into a car accident. Unfortunately, they happen every day. Regardless of how the accident occurs, there is always a chance that you will end up injured. Luckily, there are steps you can take to speed your recovery and reduce pain. One such step is meeting with a physical therapist. When you need physical therapy in White Marsh MD, visit Comprehensive Spine and Sports Center in Essex. Dr. Cohen has over 30 years total experience, including over 20 years in Essex. He has successfully treated thousands of patients with whiplash.
How Car Accidents Cause Whiplash
One of the most common injuries following a car accident is whiplash. Whiplash is the general term for when the neck is injured due to a severe back and forth push and pull. It gets its name from the quick snapping action of a whip, which resembles what happens to the vertebrae in the neck when whiplash occurs. Whiplash is a common injury that occurs when a car is rear-ended. The sudden hit from behind exerts an unexpected force causing your body to whip forward and then return quickly to its previous resting position against the seat. Both the sudden force and the force itself can cause whiplash. Common whiplash symptoms include:
- Neck stiffness and pain
- Loss of motion in the neck
- Headaches
- Numbness or tingling in arms
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue
- Problems with sleep
How Physical Therapists Can Help Treat Whiplash
For some people, whiplash will resolve in a few days to a few weeks with some anti-inflammatory medication. However, for others their neck pain will persist despite basic treatment options and require physical therapy. A physical therapist can help a patient increase their range of motion and decrease pain. With proper treatment, whiplash symptoms can decrease or disappear. But, there are several factors that determine the speed of recovery including the length of time it took to seek therapy after an injury, if there were multiple occurrences of whiplash, existing pain before accident, and the age of the patient.
Looking for Physical Therapy in White Marsh MD?
If you were in an accident and suspect you have whiplash, don’t wait to seek treatment. Your recovery depends on acting fast. This means you will want to start physical therapy for whiplash sooner than later. Comprehensive Spine & Sports Center is proud to offer physical therapy, chiropractic care, dry needling and aquatic therapy to patients from across the area. So, when you need physical therapy in White Marsh MD, contact us today to schedule your initial consultation.