Whiplash injuries of the neck are painful and may even result in temporary disability. If not quickly treated by a car accident injury doctor in Ocala, you may experience decreased range of motion of your neck, posture problems, excruciating pain, and even visual difficulties. Here are some effective methods of treatment that can help relieve your whiplash symptoms after your car accident.
Appropriate Pain Medication
Depending upon the severity of your whiplash pain, your car accident injury doctor in Ocala will either prescribe narcotic-based prescription pain medication, muscle relaxants, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications.
If your pain is debilitating, narcotic or opioid-based drugs will be prescribed for short-term use. They are rarely prescribed for long-term use. These medications can cause significant side effects such as drowsiness, confusion, dizziness, vision problems, nausea, constipation, and weakness. They can also lead to dependence and serious withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking them.
Massage
To augment your medication treatment protocol, your physician may recommend that you see a chiropractor or a certified massage therapist. Therapeutic massage helps relax sore muscles and it also helps increase blood flow to painful areas of the body. Massage therapy may help improve your posture after your whiplash injury and it may also help enhance movement, speed healing, and significantly decrease your neck and shoulder pain.
Therapeutic massage may also help you sleep better at night, which may further help enhance the healing process. Getting quality sleep may also help suppress inflammation of the muscles and ligaments of your neck after your whiplash injury.
