Car Accident Neck Injuries: Pain Types & Symptoms

Neck pain after a car accident is a frequent problem for injury victims. The pain can be severe and last for days, weeks, years, or even a lifetime. To compound the issue, the medical costs of ongoing treatment can add up. What are the most common types of neck pain following a collision?

Whiplash

Whiplash, a frequent outcome in rear-end collisions, occurs when a person’s head is jarred forcefully back and forth like the cracking of a whip. In these accidents, the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the neck experience trauma due to the unexpected force of the impact.

Whiplash injury victims generally suffer from a number of symptoms:

• Stiffness and/or pain in the neck and/or upper back
• Pain and/or stiffness in the shoulder
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Burning sensation in the neck, shoulders, and/or arms
• Memory loss, sleep disturbances, and/or difficulty concentrating (in more severe cases)

Neck pain from whiplash typically begins within 24 hours, but some accident victims don’t experience pain for several days. Although in most cases the pain will subside within a few weeks or months, some people report symptoms years or even decades later.

Slipped Discs

Herniated discs, commonly referred to as slipped discs, are generally the result of a traumatic event — such as an auto accident — that causes the disc in the neck area to protrude and push against nearby nerves. This leads to symptoms including:

• Severe neck pain
• Shoulder pain
• Arm pain that radiates through the body
• Tingling and/or numbness in the arm
• Arm weakness

With physical therapy and over-the-counter medication, the pain will often subside in a matter of weeks. However, if the slipped disc applies enough pressure to the spinal nerves, it can lead to severe and debilitating pain. You might experience weakness, numbness, and a loss of bladder control. In severe cases such as these, surgery may be required to remove or repair the slipped disc.

Contact a Neck Injury Lawyer

If you suffer whiplash, a slipped disc, or another neck injury in a car accident — no matter how severe you think the injury is — be sure to seek medical attention. After you do, contact an experienced auto accident injury attorney at Morgan & Morgan. We fight on behalf of victims to secure the most compensation possible. Fill out a free case evaluation to get started.