Whiplash is a common injury, particularly after a motor vehicle accident. While whiplash is not typically a life-threatening injury, it can have serious repercussions in terms of long-term pain and disability. In addition, the cost of treating whiplash can have a serious impact on an accident victim and his family. This article will provide the basics about this neck injury, along with what you should do if you sustained a whiplash injury through no fault of your own.
What is Whiplash?
Whiplash, also known as a neck sprain, is an injury to the muscles and ligaments of the neck. It occurs when the neck is forced into a hyper-extended state, which results in the muscles and ligaments in the area getting stretched beyond their typical range of motion. Severe whiplash can also affect other areas of the spine, or result in fractures of the vertebrae, which take much more treatment to resolve and require a much longer recovery time.
Causes of Whiplash
The majority of whiplash injuries occur when the neck and head are subjected to extreme acceleration or deceleration, such as what might occur during a motor vehicle accident. Whiplash cases are seen most frequently when a driver’s car is rear-ended by another vehicle. The car does not even have to be going very fast to cause significant damage to the neck muscles, particularly if the car in front is at a complete standstill. Whiplash can also occur during contact sports or in slip and fall accidents.
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