The length of recovery time needed for your whiplash injury depends on the severity of the injury. What’s more, with each level of severity, a different recovery plan will be required and it is also important to consider that all whiplash injuries are different. And so, there is no one-size-fits all whiplash recovery plan that’ll get you back to your original health.
Having said that, in cases of minor and moderate whiplash (Grade 1 and Grade 2), where there is an indication of pain and only minimal musculoskeletal signs with no neurological signs or a break/dislocation/fracture (Grade 3 and Grade 4), we can offer some recovery advice.
Whiplash treatment
The good news is that given time, whiplash should heal on its own. Whiplash symptoms usually occur 6 – 12 hours after the initial injury, and they present themselves in the form of pain. As such, the first step is to dull this pain so that it becomes manageable.
Here are some tips from Accident Advice Helpline to manage the pain:
- Use an ice pack on your neck to reduce pain and any swelling as soon as you can after the initial injury. Use an ice pack for 20 – 30 minutes every 3 – 4 hours for three days.
- Take painkillers, but only if you are directed to do so by your GP. In fact, your GP will likely prescribe you stronger painkillers than you can buy over the counter anyway.
- Keep your neck mobile and don’t be tempted to resist movement. Moving your head from side to side and up and down can help strengthen those muscles, but it’s likely that your GP will give you some exercises to do too.
- Use heat a week after the initial injury in the form of heat packs or a hot bath to ease your muscles and relax yourself. Clearing your mind can do the world of good, too.
In most whiplash cases, the pain starts to ease off after a few weeks, and will usually dissipate altogether after a few months in moderate cases. However, it’s essential that you take it easy during the recovery period to give your body a chance to heal itself.
If you have followed a recovery plan set by your GP, there’s a strong chance that you will be back to normal in no time. A full recovery means that:
- You can move your head freely and look over both shoulders without discomfort;
- Rock your head all the way back and all the way forward without discomfort;
- Rock your head from side to side without discomfort.
If you have been the victim of whiplash and it was somebody else’s fault and you wish to seek financial compensation, discuss your case with a law firm that specialises in whiplash claims. The expert advisors can tell you the average claim payouts for whiplash alongside how the process works.
Call 0800 689 0500 or from your mobile on 0333 500 0993 today to discuss your case with AAH.
