A Neck Pain Doctor Can Treat Your Neck Injuries After a Car Accident
Neck injuries are the some of the most common injuries that can result from a car accident. While neck pain can occur in any number of ways, it’s often caused by whiplash and neck strain. The force exerted from one car smashing into another can also result in a concussion, which may be accompanied by neck pain.
Neck pain can range from mild and healing on its own after a few months, to chronic and lasting a lifetime. In some cases, an injured party may never again have their full range of motion or enjoy a good night’s sleep.
If you’ve been in a car accident, it is vital that you have a neck pain doctor examine you as soon as possible before minor problems become severe. At Car Wreck Doctor, we can help ensure that you are given expert treatment early on in the process to avoid future damage. Contact us today to learn more.
Common Neck Injuries Caused by Car Accidents
Whiplash and Neck Strain
Whiplash most commonly happens directly after a rear-end collision, but it can occur any time your head rapidly moves from one position to another. This sudden neck snap causes can strain your neck muscles and cause tears in the tendons and ligaments.
In severe cases of whiplash, injured parties may experience vision problems, tinnitus, difficulty concentrating, and memory problems. Whiplash can also cause mood disturbances and sleeping problems.
Disc Injuries
A herniated disc occurs when the inner gel of the disc ruptures into the bone along the nerve. Discs have a gelatinous interior that tears through the disc wall when it’s herniated. In some cases, the herniation may resolve on its own after six weeks. In other cases, it requires medical intervention.
Symptoms of a herniated disc include severe pain that can radiate down your shoulder, arm, and into your hand. Sometimes this is accompanied by muscle spasms. In severe cases, patients will be required to undergo spinal fusion, have the disc replaced, or under discectomy which removes the portion of bone aggravating the nerve.
How Do I Know If I Have a Neck Injury?
In most cases, it’s fairly apparent. Symptoms may include:
- Neck pain or stiffness
- Headaches,
- Range of motion problems,
- Shoulder pain,
- Upper back pain,
- Tingling or numbness in the arms and fingers,
- Fatigue, and
- Dizziness.
In some cases, neck injuries can cause concussion-like symptoms, including dizziness, blurred vision, headaches, mood disturbances, and trouble sleeping.
It’s important that you contact a neck pain doctor early in the process so that they can determine if the injury is to your brain or your neck. Early detection and care is crucial in order to avoid future medical complications.
What Are Available Treatments for Neck Injuries?
Treatment generally begins in the least invasive way and then escalates to more invasive procedures. For instance, if you have a herniated disc, the problem may resolve itself on its own. Physical therapy and rehabilitation can prove useful during this time. But a doctor usually won’t recommend surgery unless the problem is unlikely to resolve with non-invasive treatments.
You may also be given steroid injections to control the pain and, in other cases, other pain remedies may be required. As each injury is unique, our neck pain doctors work hard to provide car accident victims customized treatment plans and recovery options that can help them maximize their chances of full rehabilitation.
Consult With a Neck Pain Doctor Today
If you’ve been involved in a car accident, talk to a certified neck pain specialist. We can provide you with the best possible care, as well as a roadmap to recovery that will prevent current problems from getting worse. Speak to a neck pain doctor at Car Wreck Doctor today for a consultation.