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Rest, ice, heat, and over-the-counter pain medications
- You can treat your mild or moderate whiplash at home with rest, ice, heat, and over-the-counter pain medications. However, it’s best to seek medical care, especially if you are experiencing a lot of pain.
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Treatment for whiplash. A GP may prescribe a stronger painkiller such as codeine for whiplash. If your symptoms do not get any better after a few weeks, a GP may refer you: to a physiotherapist; to a pain specialist; for psychological support; Physiotherapy from the NHS may not be available in your area and waiting times can be long.
- Neck Pain
What can cause neck pain. The most common causes of neck...
- Neck Pain
- Overview
- Cold and heat therapy for whiplash
- Over-the-counter medications for whiplash
- Exercises and physical therapy for whiplash recovery
- Alternative treatments for whiplash
- What activities should I avoid when recovering from whiplash?
- Frequently asked questions
- Takeaway
Home management of whiplash pain often involves cold and heat therapy, over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications, and exercises to help regain your neck function.
Whiplash is a neck injury commonly associated with rear-end car accidents and sports injuries. Rapid and forceful, up-and-down bending movements of the head and neck cause whiplash.
Whiplash usually resolves with conservative, at-home treatments. In this article, we detail how to treat whiplash at home.
•pain, burning, or a prickling sensation in your neck, shoulders, or back
•blurry vision
•tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
You can use both heat and cold to reduce whiplash symptoms and support healing.
Apply cold compresses or ice packs for 15 minutes every 2–3 hours for 7–10 days. Using cold on the affected area restricts blood flow to muscles, tendons, and irritated nerve roots. This reduces swelling, inflammation, and pain.
Do not apply heat until inflammation and swelling are no longer present.
Once the swelling subsides, try alternating heat and cold for 15 minutes every 2–3 hours. Heat works by increasing blood flow to the area. This soothes aching muscles, supports relaxation, and promotes healing.
Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication can help reduce mild to moderate whiplash pain. It’s essential to follow package directions and not overuse OTC pain drugs. If they don’t provide you with enough relief, let a doctor know.
Common OTC medications include acetaminophen (Tylenol) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and aspirin.
It’s important not to combine OTC pain medication with prescription pain meds.
NSAIDs may help reduce inflammation as well as pain. However, they can irritate your stomach lining. If you have a gastrointestinal condition such as diverticulitis or an ulcer, check with a doctor before using.
Home exercises can help restore full function and range of motion to your head and neck after a whiplash injury. It can also help support blood flow, build muscle strength, and reduce pain.
A healthcare professional may recommend specific exercises for you to try at home. These include simple movements, like tilting your head from side to side or rolling your shoulders.
For ongoing or severe pain, a healthcare professional may prescribe physical therapy. A physical therapist may use treatments like massage and electrotherapy to relieve stiffness and pain in your neck. They will also guide you through multiple stretches and exercises, such as chin tucks.
To do a chin tuck, follow these steps:
•Sit comfortably with your back straight, and your face pointed straight ahead.
•Slowly lower your chin to your chest. You should feel a stretch in the back of your neck. If you feel pain, don’t force the stretch.
There isn’t a significant body of data about the effectiveness of alternative treatments, such as homeopathy or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) units, for whiplash.
Still, you may find that alternative treatments such as yoga, tai chi, and qi gong may help reduce pain and stiffness.
Avoiding activities that might worsen your injury or prolong your recovery is essential.
It usually takes about 6 weeks to regain full neck function. During that time, it’s best to avoid movement that could strain your neck, such as:
•lifting heavy items
•driving
•certain sports like swimming, tennis, and contact sports
•amusement park rides
How long does it take to recover from whiplash?
Each person’s recovery is different. Mild injuries often resolve within a few days to a few weeks. Moderate to severe whiplash takes longer to heal. Most people recover within 3 months, but some feel stiffness, pain, or discomfort for longer. You can aid your recovery by avoiding activities that worsen whiplash and by following the advice of healthcare professionals.
Will whiplash heal on its own without treatment?
When not properly treated, whiplash can cause serious, long lasting injuries to muscles and tissues in the neck. This may be more likely to occur in certain age groups, such as children and older adults. Mild whiplash can heal on its own over time. Simple at-home treatments like using heat and cold compresses can significantly quicken recovery.
How should you sleep if you have whiplash?
Try not to sleep on a too-soft or too-firm surface that doesn’t cradle your neck comfortably. Consider using an orthopedic pillow or sleeping with your neck resting on a rolled-up towel for maximum head and neck support.
Whiplash is a neck injury often resulting from rear-end car accidents, physical assaults, or sports injuries.
The extent of your injury will determine which treatments are best for you and how long it may take to recover.
- Corey Whelan
Aug 11, 2024 · You can treat your mild or moderate whiplash at home with rest, ice, heat, and over-the-counter pain medications. However, it’s best to seek medical care, especially if you are experiencing a lot of pain.
Oct 15, 2024 · Treatment of whiplash. If the cause of your injury has caused emotional trauma as well as physical, you may want to read more about mental wellbeing as this can impact your recovery. In most cases whiplash will resolve gradually over time with the right help and advice.
Jun 22, 2023 · Most mild to moderate cases of whiplash can be treated at home using over-the-counter (OTC) pain medication, ice, and other remedies. You should see a doctor after an auto crash...
Feb 17, 2024 · Treatment. The goals of whiplash treatment are to: Control pain. Restore range of motion in your neck. Get you back to your regular activities. Your treatment plan will depend on the extent of your whiplash injury. Some people need only medicines available without a prescription and at-home care.
advice. This information is designed to supplement the advice given by your doctor, and is written by physiotherapists based on the latest medical advice. Following a road traffic accident, it is common to experience pain and stiffness of the neck and shoulders.
