Whiplash in pregnancy

[Jenjen85]

Im currently suffering from whiplash after an accident last sunday which i was kept in hospital for 24hrs due to being 37wks pregnant and having frequent braxton hicks. Went to my gp on wednesday and they prescribed co-codamol but after taking them baby was very quiet the next day so had to be monitored and had a scan. My neck/shoulders are really painful and paracetamol isnt really helping. Dont really want to take the co-codamol after baby going quiet. Is there anything i can do to help with the pain? Have currently got a heat pack on my neck but any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated

[DesignedForLife]

I have no idea, but could physio help? I've had in the past for beck injury and it made a world of difference. Also deep heat do a cool version which I believe is safe in pregnancy.

[Jenjen85]

I was advised by the pharmacist not to use any gels/creams as they contain asprin.

[lljkk]

ibuprofen more like, which is not aspirin. the dose you would get from a cream is really low.

That said, no gel would have helped my whiplash. I get W-L chronically. Are you supporting your neck every time you get up? Do you keep neck very warm (scarf). I liked a neckbrace, it definitely gave me support.

Gentle massage of your shoulder & upper back would take some tension out of the muscles trying to make up for the work not done by the damaged ligaments. Does lying down help, can you lie down?

[malin100]

If it's not too soon to see a physiotherapist or chiropractor, I'd do that. Maybe ask your GP. I've had success with both in the past and a friend just recently went to a chiropractor for a bad whiplash injury and said the difference after a few treatments was incredible.

[FuzzyOwl]

Do you have a neck brace or support? That might also help.

[Jenjen85]

As im claiming through insurance im not sure if i can just go to a chiropractor but I think they will send me to physio. Not got a neck brace as the hospital didnt give me one. My gp gave me some excersises to do and have been trying those. Just hard as i cant take much for the pain

[malin100]

GPs can refer to both physio and chiropractors. Might have to ask insurance though if it means paying privately, but I'm sure they'd be fine with both (certainly physio).

I don't think neck braces are recommended these days as you're meant to keep it moving as much as possible, doing your exercises, etc. In saying that, I wonder if taping any muscles would help - I once had a physio tape my shoulders and slightly up the sides of my neck if I remember correctly (not for whiplash, but did involve the neck) and it reduced the pain substantially for the few days the tape was on.

[lljkk]

I can see why wearing a brace all waking hours could be bad, but as light relief for a few hours every day, it was heaven.

I didn't have a brace, actually, I just wrapped so many scarves around my neck that the effect was like having a brace.

[Dixiechick17]

I used a scarf around my neck to keep it warm, I paid for private physio which I claimed back once the case had completed, Kept all the receipts. The temptation was to hold my neck as still as possible which in my case made it stiffer and more painful, the physio really helped to loosen things up and start the healing process.

[emmabrown123]

Keep on with the heat, take Paracetamol and just do gentle range of movement exercises. There's not masses you can do when it's so acute.

The most important thing is to keep it moving as much as possible. Collars aren't really helpful as can lead to long term stiffness. Physio could do a more in depth assessment and give more specific exercises.

Hope it gets better. I had a car crash at 34 weeks, was pretty scary but managed to get away with minimal pain and just a wrist injury