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3 Tips For Coping With Whiplash After An Accident

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Experiencing whiplash after a car accident is painful and frustrating. When your accident occurred, the dramatic force caused your neck to move in an unnatural way, leading to tears in the tendons and muscles. Whiplash typically causes limited range of motion as well as serious pain, which can affect your quality of life and ability to work. While in some cases whiplash fades on its own, it's always a good idea to be proactive in your recovery in order to maximize healing and prevent future neck issues. Here are a few tips for doing so.

See a Doctor at an Auto Accident Medical Clinic

It's important to see a doctor after your accident in order to diagnose and begin treating your whiplash. An even better option is to see a doctor at an auto accident medical clinic. These are doctors who specialize in accident-related injuries. This means they are experts on whiplash and will have the skills and technology to diagnose it accurately and quickly.

Oftentimes, these specialized clinics also have on-site complementary treatments, such as chiropractic care and acupuncture. This way, you can take a thorough approach to healing from whiplash as well as any other accident-related pain you're experiencing.

Get a Therapeutic Massage

In addition to medical treatment, you may want to try gentle, heated massage of your neck and back. Be sure to ask your doctor if they think it's a good idea at this point in your healing. If they do, make an appointment with a massage therapist who specializes in injury-related massages. The massage should help soothe the tension and stiffness in your neck and shoulders, allowing you to gain better range of motion. Plus, it simply feels good, which you deserve after your ordeal.

Try Physical Therapy

If your pain and limited range of motion continue after seeking treatment from your doctor and chiropractor, it's a good idea to ask for a referral to a physical therapist. As the tendons and muscles in your neck heal, they may be tender and sore, and also need to be strengthened. Your physical therapist will teach you gentle stretching and strengthening exercises that will help with healing and pain management. You can then continue the exercises at home.

Experiencing a car accident is scary enough on its own, but dealing with whiplash afterward only makes things worse. By following these tips, you will soon be on the path to healing. 


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