What does whiplash do to muscles?

Whiplash typically occurs when your head is forcefully and quickly thrown backward and then forward. This motion can injure bones in the spine, disks between the bones, ligaments, muscles, nerves and other tissues of the neck.

What are the different grades of whiplash?

Grade 0: no complaints or physical signs. Grade 1: indicates neck complaints but no physical signs. Grade 2: indicates neck complaints and musculoskeletal signs. Grade 3: neck complaints and neurological signs.

How long does it take for minor whiplash to go away?

When your injuries are minor and limited to the soft tissues, they may heal on their own within about 6-10 weeks. The stress on your tissues, however, may create other subluxations (misalignments) in your spine.

What does whiplash do to your brain?

When this happens, the neck can be injured, leading to pain and immobility. But in addition, the force of the whiplash can be serious enough to cause the brain to slam into the wall of the skull, resulting in a traumatic brain injury. The most common type of brain injury that is caused by whiplash is a concussion.

Does whiplash go away on its own?

Here’s the good news: given time, whiplash should heal on its own. To help with recovery, you should: Ice your neck to reduce pain and swelling as soon as you can after the injury. Do it for 15 minutes every 3-4 hours for 2-3 days.

What is Stage 2 whiplash?

Grade II: Neck complaint AND musculoskeletal sign(s). Musculoskeletal signs include decreased range of motion and point tenderness. Grade III: Neck complaint AND neurological sign(s). Neurological signs include decreased range of motion and point tenderness.

Is stretching good for whiplash?

Whiplash is a spinal injury that damages the soft tissues in your cervical spine (neck). Simple exercises and stretches can help your spine heal from this injury, but you shouldn’t stop there.

Does whiplash get worse before it gets better?

Chronic headaches and radiating pain or pain occurring at the base of the skull may flare up immediately after whiplash or in the days to weeks afterwards and can become worse without treatment.

Can you get memory loss from whiplash?

But studies have shown that for some whiplash victims, a sharp jolt to the brain can lead to poor concentration, irritability and even memory loss (rather like an episode of concussion).