Whiplash Treatment

Self-Care at Home

Home care is intended to relieve the pain and minimize the amount of inflammation in the soft tissues of the neck.

• Apply ice to the neck for 20 minutes at a time each hour for the first 24 hours while awake. Do not apply ice directly to the skin. Place a towel between the ice and the neck. Continue to use ice therapy until the pain stops. (After you see the doctor, follow his or her directions for ice therapy.)
  
  
• Take acetaminophen for pain relief or ibuprofen for anti-inflammatory action. Avoid ibuprofen if you have a past medical history of gastritis, duodenitis, peptic ulcer disease, reflux, or other stomach problems.

Medical Treatment

The doctor most likely will recommend a treatment plan including a mixture of the following:

• Neck massage
  
  
• Neck rest
  
  
• Bed rest
  
  
• Ice therapy
  
  
• Heat therapy
  
  
• Oral pain relievers and muscle relaxers
  
  
• Immobilization of the neck with a soft cervical collar (only a minimal benefit if any at all)
  
  
• Early range of motion exercises combined with heat therapy starting 72 hours after the injury to restore flexibility
  
  
• Avoidance of excessive neck strain for the next week and then increased activity as tolerated in the following weeks