Whiplash Treatment

Depending on the severity of your injuries, there are a number of different treatment paths you and your doctor may discuss for your whiplash pain.

Immobilization

In the first few hours after injury, you may be given a cervical collar to wear – both to reduce pain and prevent any further injuries while your doctor confirms the whiplash diagnosis. However, many recent studies have shown that prolonged immobilization will do you more harm than good in the long run. The earlier you can stand to start moving your neck (with permission from your doctor), the better.

Whiplash Physical Therapy

Although your symptoms may subside within a few days, pain that lasts longer than this may be helped by the addition of whiplash physical therapy. Physical therapy for whiplash can consist of active or passive treatments, including:

• Therapeutic massage
• Application of heat and ice
• Ultrasound therapy
• Whiplash physical therapy exercises

Physical therapy should increase the blood flow to the area, reducing muscle spasms and ultimately leading to faster healing of the neck tissues.

Whiplash Exercises

Your physical therapist will work with you to develop a whiplash exercise program, which you may perform at home or in the office. You can continue to do these exercises as often as your doctor suggests until pain subsides completely. Read more about whiplash exercises.

Psychological Treatment

For chronic whiplash sufferers, psychological side effects are common – including anxiety and depression. It’s common for a chronic whiplash patient to attend counseling as a part of treatment, to help get their mood and personality back to normal.

If you’ve been in a car accident in New Jersey and need whiplash treatment, please call us at 866-609-4448 or fill out our quick contact form for a FREE consultation.