How Long Does it Take for Whiplash to Heal?

Every year in the United States, more than a million people suffer whiplash injuries, mostly from motor vehicle accidents. While the injury itself is relatively common, it can affect people in different ways — and that means treatment and recovery can vary, too.

At Kerinver Chiropractic, Josue Maysonet, DC, uses a patient-centered approach to whiplash treatment, providing therapies based on each person’s needs. If you have whiplash, here’s what you can expect during recovery.

Basics of whiplash

Injuries that make your head and neck snap back and forth forcefully cause whiplash, putting strain on the tendons, nerves, and muscles in your neck and shoulders. The whiplash name comes from the rapid back-and-forth snapping movement of a whip.

Whiplash can cause immediate pain and neck stiffness, but it can also have delayed symptoms that can take days to develop. In addition to neck pain, some of the most common whiplash symptoms include:

• Headaches
• Tenderness in your neck, shoulders, or arms
• Radiating, electricity-like pain in your arms
• Limited neck movement
• Ringing in your ears
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• “Brain fog”
• Changes in sleep patterns

Many of these symptoms are related to swelling and inflammation caused by that rapid whiplike movement, along with nerve damage and nerve compression in and around your upper (cervical) spine.

Whiplash injuries can happen as a result of falls, sports injuries, car accidents, or any injury — big or small — that causes an impact on your neck. You don’t need a significant back-and-forth neck movement to cause whiplash — even smaller impacts like minor “fender benders” can cause whiplash.

Recovering from whiplash

While it’s somewhat easy to predict what whiplash symptoms can look like, it’s almost impossible to know how long recovery is going to take. That’s because whiplash can vary in severity and even in the types of injuries it can cause. Variations in healing responses can affect healing times, too.

In general, most people with mild whiplash can begin to experience healing within a few days to a few weeks as damaged tissues heal, relieving pain and restoring normal movement. More moderate whiplash issues can take several weeks to heal, again depending on the type of treatment you have and how well you respond to your therapy.

It’s important to note that even when you experience initial healing, you can continue to experience intermittent symptoms, like neck or shoulder pain and stiffness, headaches, or nerve “twinges.” Some intermittent symptoms may persist for a year without prompt medical treatment.

Very severe types of whiplash can cause a condition called chronic whiplash syndrome. This condition causes long-lasting symptoms, like headaches, “brain fog,” problems sleeping, and ongoing neck or shoulder pain that can persist for months or years after the initial injury. Data suggests as many as 40% of people who have whiplash injuries following motor vehicle accidents go on to develop chronic whiplash syndrome.

Other factors

While the severity of your injury has a fundamental bearing on your recovery time, other factors can play a role, too. Older people may take longer to heal, thanks to age-related changes that influence cellular and tissue repair.

Underlying health conditions can also play a role, including conditions like arthritis or prior neck injuries. And finally, your compliance with your therapy and adherence to healthy lifestyle activities, like a healthy diet and regular exercise, can also influence your recovery time.

One of the most important things you can do to speed healing is to seek medical treatment immediately after your injury — even if you don’t notice symptoms instantly. Early treatment can help prevent complications and help you stay active, healthy, and free from severe pain. On the other hand, delaying care could lead to long-term symptoms and permanent nerve damage.

Whiplash relief without surgery

As experts in musculoskeletal injuries, chiropractors are uniquely suited to relieving symptoms and restoring mobility in your neck, shoulders, and upper back. Dr. Maysonet offers an array of therapies, including massage, trigger point therapy, spinal adjustment, and lifestyle guidance, focused on helping you recover.

To learn more about whiplash treatment, request an appointment online or over the phone with the Kerinver Chiropractic team in Kissimmee and Lake Nona, Orlando, Florida, today.