Sore neck and shoulders after car accident, what should I be doing?

[wineoclockthanks]

Car drove into the back of us earlier (we were stationary at a junction and he just didn't stop)

Luckily, no one was hurt but my neck and shoulders are feeling achy. I'm not in pain so don't want to take any painkillers and have been putting a hot water bottle on them but wondered if there's anything else?

I've looked at NHS website and obviously if it's much worse tomorrow I'll try and get a GP appointment.

Not worrying.

Honestly. I think it's Lithuania where they have no concept of whiplash and zero rates of it. Here people have the expectation they might get it and so do. There is a lot of pain science which suggests expectation and fear lead to pain in your scenario rather than that there's any damage done.

Keep moving. Take some anti-inflammatories if you're sore for a few days but otherwise get on with things and don't panic.

I hope you feel ok over the next few days

Thanks.

I'm hoping it's just sore muscles and nothing I've read said I can do any damage by carrying on as normal but I know there are medical people on here and just was hoping for some reassurance.

If you are able to move your head and neck normally then you are ok.

I know how worrying it is though.

My doctor (hand on heart!) told me to get pissed so that I forgot about it and moved it normally.

I didn’t take his advice, id probably just have a hot bath and ibuprofen!!!
I

I'm loving that advice SaveKevin

Hopefully a good nights sleep will sort it. Thanks again.

Whiplash is serious. You should see your GP and tell your insurance company.

it sounds like beginning of whiplash (which I get often & easily so don't take very seriously).
Wearing a thick neckscarf helps me when I get it. Like a home-made neck brace. Support your head with your hands when you move around or get up from lying down. Move your body rather than your head when you need to look somewhere else. It's a ligament injury & just takes a while to settle. 1-2 weeks for me.

I got whiplash symptoms the day after a car hit my front passenger side on a roundabout from the 2nd exit as I was taking the 3rd. I never expected it as it was at such low speed, but my god I have never in my life been in such pain. I thought I had slept funny at first as I didn't even relate the two but it soon became clear what it was. Was prescribed 3 days worth if Diazepam and Diclofenac. Neither touched it and it affected me for 4 months after the accident in terms of pain, especially first thing in the morning and ended up needing physio who gave me the following tips if it were to happen again -

Try and forget about it and don't restrict movement as you'll only cause it to seize up further. Anti inflammatory and alternate heat and cold for the first 24 hours. Neck and shoulder stretches- chin to chest, turning head as far as you can either side and push it a bit further etc. See your GP if it gets a lot worse. It's rubbish 🍷

Whiplash is serious. You should see your GP and tell your insurance company.

I'm sorry but this advice is outdated. Some people suffer it very badly but not because any damage has been done but because of neural pathway pain which is based around fear and expectation. There's some good science backing that up.

ask your car insurance.
they might recommend you getting checked out by a dr and getting physio.
when I had a similar accident insurance paid for private consultation + 5 sessions physio.
physio was the best thing ever, I felt like new after the first session.

I'm not sure if stretches much help whiplash. What happens is the ligaments are overstretched so stop doing their job correctly (holding bones in right places relative to each other). So then the muscles pick up the job ligaments should do, but the muscles get exhausted and that leads to the chronic pain/soreness. Stretching those sore muscles might relieve a little pain but rest could be equally valuable. Don't put extra strain on wigged out muscles.

Keeping circulation up is also good, so don't immobilise completely, keep movement that is tolerable.