4 Common Symptoms of Whiplash

A neck strain, more commonly known as whiplash, often happens as a result of an aggressive movement of the neck. This can often occur due to a minor car accident or impact in a contact sport such as football or hockey. An important characteristic of the pain associated with this type of injury it that it sometimes takes up to several days to appear.

So, how do you know if you’re suffering from whiplash? At Total Pain Care, we’ve prepared a list of common symptoms to help you identify it and find the treatment you need.

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Read the Signs

Whiplash occurs when a hard impact aggressively jerks the head. This abrupt force affects the muscles in the neck through stretches and tears. Whiplash pain is hard to ignore due to how crippling it can be. However, people who sustain this injury will often realize it anywhere from several hours to days after an accident. Symptoms to look out for following your accident or impact include:

  • Tightness and pain in the neck
  • Decreased range of motion
  • Stiff or knotted muscles
  • Pain when moving your head to the sides, front and/or back
  • Tenderness
  • Headaches beginning at the base of the skull and slowly creeping to the forehead

It’s important to understand that whiplash can be aggressive enough to cause a concussion. If, after the impact, you feel a wave of dizziness, confusion, excessive sleepiness or nausea, immediate medical help is strongly advised.

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Total Pain Care Can Help

While icing, painkillers and neck braces can help treat the effects of whiplash, the pain is oftentimes too intense to bear. When this happens, know that the pain-management experts at Total Pain Care are readily available to help.

We’ll evaluate your injury to determine which treatment will be most beneficial. Don’t let whiplash become a bigger problem for you or your loved ones. Contact any one of our New Jersey locations for more information today.

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  1. Ronald Amaya, PA-C is a Physician Assistant. He attended Weill Cornell Medical College and received his physician assistant degree in NYC. He has 18 years of experience in cardiothoracic surgery and over 8 years in pain management. Dr. Amaya is NCCPA board-certified in medicine and surgery.

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  2. Paulette Scott, MD is a pain management specialist. Dr. Scott is also the pain management representative at East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, Boston. She fulfilled her physical medicine and rehabilitation residency at Long Island Jewish Medical Center and completed her fellowship in pain management at Harvard Square Clinic. Dr. Scott is board-certified in physical medicine, rehabilitation, and pain management.

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  3. Andrew D. Bunn, MD is a pain management specialist. Dr. Bunn also serves as the co-director of East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, as well as the Program Director for Lahey Hospital & Medical Center and Newborn Services | MassGeneral Hospital for Children. After earning his medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine, he completed his anesthesia residency at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania where he also completed his fellowship in pain management. He is board-certified in both anesthesiology and pain management.

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  4. David D. Ford, MD is the Director of Pain Management. Dr. Ford earned a medical degree and completed his residencies in both surgery and anesthesiology. He joined the staff of Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates Watertown in 1990. He is board-certified in both anesthesiology and pain management. Dr. Ford specializes in painful disorders of the spine and sports-related injuries. He has initiated the use of advanced interventional techniques for the successful treatment of these and other conditions.

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