Although road traffic accidents are the most common cause of whiplash there are several other ways that whiplash can be caused such as a blow to the head or through repetitive movements of the neck.



Whiplash causes pain and stiffness as well as a loss of movement. This is due to the fact that whiplash causes damage to the ligaments and tendons in your neck and head. Other symptoms associated with whiplash include headaches, muscle spasms and pain in your shoulders and arms. These symptoms usually appear within the first couple of days after, for example, a road traffic accident.

So how is whiplash diagnosed? The diagnosis of whiplash relies mainly on the information that is provided to a GP from the patient, such as the events leading up to the symptoms appearing and the patient's description of the symptoms. Whiplash is the type of injury that doesn't appear on MRI scans, CT scans or x-rays, however an x-ray is likely to be taken for nothing else but to remove any suspicion of a fracture or dislocation of the cervical spine. So the diagnosis of the condition is one that is made by your GP based on their knowledge of the condition and the symptoms that you are experiencing.

If you are suffering the symptoms of whiplash then in the first 24 hours of it appearing you should apply an ice pack to your neck as a way of relieving inflammation. This ice pack should be wrapped in a towel, never apply it directly to the skin, and it should be placed on the affected area in 20 minute intervals. As well as this you should be taking regular painkillers. If these painkillers however fail to have any affect it is important that you visit your doctor in order to get stronger painkillers or to find a better way of dealing with the problem.

It has been estimated that about two in three people who are involved in car crash will develop neck pain. This neck pain could appear as the only symptom that you are suffering from or you may be suffering neck pain along with an array of other symptoms. One thing that many people don't realise is that you can be suffering from whiplash even if your road traffic accident was minor. Even slow car bumps may cause enough of a jolt to the neck to cause symptoms.

Even though the symptoms of whiplash usually clear up within a few days there are a select few people who may still experience the symptoms of whiplash for as long as 15 years after the injury. It is unknown why some people get more problems with whiplash than others but in certain cases it does happen.

If you have suffered whiplash in the last three years then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation if the accident that caused your whiplash wasn't your fault. For more information about claiming compensation after an accident that has left you suffering the effects of whiplash then get in touch with a legal firm today and they will do everything possible to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve after an accident that wasn't your fault.