Best Home Remedies for Whiplash Pain

Whiplash is a form of neck injury that can be caused by an accident or sudden movement. When whiplash occurs, the muscles and ligaments in your neck may become strained, injured, or over-extended. This causes pain in the area surrounding your neck. The severity of this pain varies from person to person but usually goes away after a week or so as your body heals itself.

When it comes to dealing with whiplash pain and managing symptoms associated with it, using home remedies and treatments to supplement the care you get from professionals can speed up the process.

That's why besides taking certain prescribed medications for pain management, try doing the following strategies:

Alternating Ice and Heat Therapy

The old school thinking is that ice and heat are opposite treatments, but they don’t have to be. They can be used together or on their own depending on the injury sustained and the doctor's recommendation. Ice helps reduce inflammation by slowing down blood flow to an area of pain or injury. Heat helps relax muscles without any negative side effects because it does not cool them down like ice will do.

To reduce pain and swelling after an accident, right after getting into the car, apply a cold pack to your neck and shoulders.

Did you know that the most swelling occurs in the first two days after an accident? It's best to take advantage of this time and apply ice. After 48 hours, switch to heat therapy for loosening muscles and encouraging better blood flow to fight inflammation.

Stretching Exercises

Whiplash is a term used to describe the injury suffered by someone who has had a sudden, violent movement of their head. Whiplash can cause serious damage if not treated properly and could potentially lead to permanent nerve damage.

A chiropractor can help recommend specific light stretches on your neck spine that speed up the healing process while mitigating pain. The following exercises are encouraged to be performed until the pain associated with whiplash subsides.

If you have been in an accident where you fell back on your neck, try these exercises as soon as possible to minimize the pain and speed up healing time.

• Chin Tucks - Stretching your neck muscles will help to release tension.
• Side to Side Head Rotation - The use of a cervical collar reduces tightness and increases the flexibility of the neck.
• Side Bending - The neck is a sensitive and complicated area of the body. The average person bends their head forward about four inches while driving, for example. This can cause tightness in the spine that will make it difficult to move your neck easily. Neck exercises are great because they provide relief from this problem by reducing tension and improving range of motion.

Essential Oils

A recent study shows that essential oils may help reduce pain and swelling in whiplash cases. A total of 80 patients participated in the double-blind, randomized study.

The patients were assigned randomly to three groups: one used an elastic bandage, another received a placebo oil treatment, while the third group used lavender essential oil. All participants received 10 minutes of manual therapy for their neck muscles every day after two days had passed since they started experiencing these symptoms.

A homeopathic remedy that people have been using for centuries to treat inflammation and reduce pain is using essential oils, which individuals can apply directly to the affected areas.

Scents can have a powerful effect on the mind and body. Scent is the sense most closely tied to memory, and it can have a powerful impact on your health. Some scents that you encounter in nature are known to lower stress levels, improve moods, and even act as an antidepressant. The smells of lavender and other herbs have been shown to reduce anxiety in patients undergoing surgery.

They can promote relaxation, lower stress levels, and even improve physical health.

Peppermint and rosemary are popular choices for treating inflammation and soreness, but you should be aware of the plant's toxicity. For example, peppermint leaves can irritate the skin when applied topically to an open wound.

CBD Oil

CBD Oil is used for managing pain and relieving inflammation. It is extracted from the cannabis plant. This oil does not contain THC because it doesn’t have psychoactive effects. The compound of CBD oil that has therapeutic effects in humans is called CBD (cannabidiol).

Those who experience whiplash face a myriad of symptoms that can make it difficult to live their daily lives normally. The pain associated with whiplash, headaches, and even anxiety are common side-effects for those who have experienced this type of trauma. Fortunately, there is a natural solution that will help alleviate these issues without the use of harmful chemicals.

Cannabinoids like CBD oil and creams are gradually becoming more popular—and physicians are now beginning to implement this approach to potential treatment plans for managing pain for different injuries, including whiplash.

CBD oils and creams are said to relieve pain, possessing anti-inflammatory properties to reduce muscle soreness and stiffness.

Hot Teas

When an accident occurs that leads to whiplash, it can be a painful and discouraging experience. There are numerous ways in which sufferers of such accidents can try to reduce the pain they feel; however, many fail to notice that there are also ways by which they can speed up their recovery process as well.

One of these is through drinking certain teas on a daily basis – particularly those made from herbs that have been shown through scientific studies to help with the healing process and/or provide relief for symptoms associated with whiplash injuries.

Experts believe that simply ginger tea can reduce the inflammation associated with whiplash by encouraging surrounding muscles to relax, directly correlated to the pain symptoms. Chamomile tea is also a great choice by helping one sleep better since those suffering from whiplash often experience insomnia.

If you've been recently injured in a car accident and have whiplash, make sure to use these home remedies in conjunction with treatment from a professional chiropractor to mitigate the pain long-term.