Neck injuries are quite common in accidents. Depending on the force of impact, neck injuries can present in many forms, ranging from mild whiplash to a full-blown fracture or dislocation of the spine.
While severe neck injuries such as fractures may be evident right at the scene, some may take some time to show or present as other conditions.
In such cases, identifying the symptoms of a possible neck injury is important as it allows the victim to seek timely medical examination, which can significantly affect their healing journey.
Symptoms of Neck Injury
Neck injuries often include neck fractures, sprain, whiplash, and pinched nerve. While treatment for the different types of neck injuries may differ, the symptoms are relatively the same, which can include:
General Stiffness
General stiffness around the neck is among the most common symptoms of a neck injury. But, stiffness is not always a major cause of alarm. Often general stiffness is a sign of whiplash or a minor strain that resolves easily.
However, it would help not to assume it is a minor injury. Instead, see a doctor to rule out the possibility of a severe injury.
Decreased Range of Motion
Decreased range of motion is closely related to general stiffness. If neck pain limits your ability to tilt your head in one or both directions than you would before an accident, you have lost your neck’s range of motion.
Like general stiffness, losing your range of motion should not cause alarm. However, it’s worth seeing a doctor who can help verify the severity of the injury.
Headaches
Headaches are pretty common with neck injuries. Unfortunately, most people will rush for an over-the-counter pain killer anytime they experience a headache.
A headache that starts immediately or hours after an accident points to two types of injuries; a concussion or a neck injury.
Both injuries deteriorate with time, so it is important not to dismiss a headache after an accident. Sometimes, the headache could be accompanied by dizziness and blurred vision.
Tingling and Numbness
Tingling and numbness are signs of a neck injury that should concern you. While you can experience tingling and numbness in your arms and feet after suffering whiplash, it could indicate an injury deeper than the neck tissue, such as a cervical bone dislocation fracture or misaligned disks.
In the severest cases, losing a sense of sensation in all parts below the injured part is possible.
Seeking Compensation for a Neck Injury
If severe neck injuries result from another person’s negligence, you may be eligible to recover compensation. But recovering your damages will require you to file a personal injury claim or lawsuit against them.
The process of seeking compensation often involves proving that the other party owed you a duty of care that they neglected, resulting in an accident that caused your injuries.
Proving negligence may not be easy and can mean the difference between getting a bad deal or getting fair compensation. Therefore you may want to let a neck injury attorney handle a neck fracture case on your behalf to increase your chances of a positive outcome.
Conclusion
Neck injuries are not the only injuries one can sustain in an accident. Therefore, it is always important to get medical help after an accident.
Based on the doctor’s observation, you may be required to undergo scans, which can help catch other hidden injuries you may not suspect. That means you’ll get timely medical intervention and avoid late diagnosis and treatment, which can sometimes hinder full recovery.