The future for whiplash sufferers - long-term effects and surgery

If you’re reading this the chances are you’ve suffered a whiplash injury in the not too distant past. Hopefully it’s mending nicely and you’re well on the road to recovery, but it is worth remembering that a small proportion of people suffering from whiplash go on to experience further problems and may even require surgery.

Surgery

If a tear has been identified it is likely that the offending disc, or part of it may have to be removed by a surgeon. This is a complicated procedure that involves cutting through the skin and breaking up the disc with a tiny rotating blade. The disc fragments are then removed and the vertebra is fused together or joined with a series of specially-designed rods and screws.

Not surprisingly, this is a major surgical procedure and can involve a significant period of time in hospital and recovering at home. As previously mentioned, surgery is always the last option and only a tiny proportion of whiplash sufferers will be faced with it.

Late Whiplash Syndrome

Late Whiplash Syndrome (LWS) is liable to occur in as many as 25% of whiplash patients and is the condition diagnosed in those who are experiencing problems six months or more after the initial incident. Pins and needles in the arms, neck and lumbar region are often experienced by LWS sufferers, but headaches and a stiff neck are also a possibility.

In addition to the physical damage, there may also be psychological issues. Depression, anxiety and irritability are often experienced, and in extreme cases people may be frightened of getting in a car or even leaving the house. Time often heals the problems but medical professionals may be willing to prescribe drugs or recommend counselling.

Alternative methods

In recent years there has been an increase in the number of people who choose to use alternative medicine in place of the more conventional treatments. Of the huge number of various alternative medicine options that are available, some feel that they can be used to treat the symptoms of whiplash.

Acupuncture, the ancient Chinese technique of inserting and manipulating needles into certain parts of the body, is believed by some to relieve the neck pain caused by whiplash, while others swear by homeopathy. These are only two of a range of alternative therapies that could be considered, yet their use is sometimes condemned by medical professionals who feel they do not actually heal the problem and may simply provide a placebo.

For more information about alternative medicine, take a look at www.chisuk.org.uk.

Making a compensation claim

Whiplash is, quite literally, a pain in the neck. Even if the symptoms clear up within a week or so it’s likely that you’ve been forced to take some time off work and experienced a fairly uncomfortable time. This is bad enough in itself, but if the injury was caused through no fault of your own it’s possible that you could make a bid for financial compensation.

Our personal injury solicitors are experts in dealing with whiplash compensation claims and have a fantastic success rate. They also work on a no win, no fee basis and won’t charge you a single penny for their services. They won’t even take a cut of your compensation either, so you can keep 100% of any money that you’re awarded.