When you're in a car accident and escape with no injuries, you may later find yourself combatting the symptoms of whiplash. Whiplash occurs when your body moves sharply in one direction and then the other. Although it's hard to detect through imaging, the symptoms can feel painful and can limit your everyday activities. Because of this, it may be useful to know how physio can help.
Managing Your Usual Activities
Physiotherapists don't just specialise in helping you execute the right movements; they know when to stop you from making the wrong ones too. They'll review what your daily activities are like at home and work. Depending on the grading of your whiplash and where the symptoms appear, they may recommend limiting certain movements or stopping some activities. If they make such recommendations, try keeping a diary of the improvements you see. Your diary entries can act as motivation for continuing with your plan.
Recommending Specific Exercises
Whiplash is a condition that can affect your bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. As a result, you may suffer from a reduced range of movement in some of your joints. Usually, that reduction in your range of movement comes with pain. One way to tackle pain is through executing specific exercises that get your joints moving again. At first, you may find yourself focusing on specific exercises with your physiotherapist only. Over time, they'll encourage you to use those exercises while you're at home.
Targeting Your Whiplash Pain
Physio for whiplash can also involve using different techniques to reduce your pain. Lowering your pain levels is in your best interests, as pain acts as a deterrent to following specific exercise plans. Trying traditional analgesics such as ibuprofen and paracetamol is worthwhile, but make sure you're following the instructions on the packaging closely. Additionally, make sure there's no overlap between the medications you buy and the ones your doctor prescribes for you. You can use temperature therapy as an additional form of pain relief or as an alternative. Both hot and cold therapies work, such as ice packs and bags that you heat in the microwave. Some people find that using heat sprays and balms at night makes it easier for them to sleep. As sleep is crucial for healing, it's worth exploring such options.
By working closely with your physio team, you can simplify the healing process. Contact a local physiotherapist to learn more.
Share9 December 2021
Hello there! Welcome to my blog. I would like to start by telling you a story about something that happened to me many years ago. I was working in Sydney at the time as an investment banker. The hours were long and I would party every weekend to de-stress. I put on a lot of weight and began to have problems sleeping. I didn't pay much attention to the problems, as I thought I was invincible. However, one day I collapsed at work. At the hospital the doctors saved my life. Since then, I have become very interested in health and medical matters.