Can Whiplash Cause Nausea?

Whiplash is a common injury that happens primarily in motor vehicle accidents and can cause a wide range of symptoms. If you suspect that you may be suffering from a whiplash injury following an accident, it’s important to seek medical attention right away as these injuries can lead to more serious conditions. Once you’ve received treatment, our car accident lawyers in Newport News and Virginia Beach can help review your case and seek compensation for your injuries.

What Is Whiplash?

While whiplash can happen in any number of physical activities, it is most commonly seen in motor vehicle accidents. More specifically, they typically occur when a person is suddenly and unexpectedly hit by another vehicle. Here are a few types of car accidents that can cause whiplash:

• Rear-End Collisions
• Head-On Collisions
• T-Bone Accidents
• Rollover Accidents

In these types of accidents, the driver isn’t prepared for the impact which means they don’t have time to brace themselves, and the muscles in the neck (as well as the tendons, ligaments, and sometimes even spinal discs or nerves) are overstretched. Unfortunately, many individuals who suffer a whiplash injury may not realize it at first or may try to wait to see if the pain corrects itself. This can be dangerous. While the pain might be minor in the first few days (or even weeks) following an accident, the injury itself can become more severe or even permanent if left untreated.

What Are Common Whiplash Symptoms?

Beyond neck pain (and nausea) there are many symptoms that can come with whiplash that may not always be commonly associated with the injury. Here are a few indicators that a whiplash injury may have occurred:

• Stiffness or reduced range of motion
• Headaches (often at the base of the skull)
• Knots in the neck or back
• Shoulder pain
• Blurred vision
• Ringing in the ears
• Fatigue
• Memory issues, depression, or anxiety
• Numbness, weakness, or tingling sensations, especially in the arms or hands
• Vertigo or balance issues
• Jaw pain
• Difficulty swallowing
• Loss of control of bladder or bowel function

Why Does Whiplash Cause Nausea?

When a whiplash injury occurs, it can damage the muscles and nerves that connect the neck to the brain. This trauma can affect the vestibular system—the part of the inner ear and brain that controls balance and spatial orientation—leading to nausea and other symptoms.

In some cases, a concussion may occur alongside whiplash. Concussions come with their own range of symptoms, with dizziness and balance issues being among the most common. The combination of these sensations can cause the body to respond with a feeling of nausea.

Should You Go to the Doctor For Whiplash?

Whiplash injuries can range in seriousness, but immediate symptoms do not always indicate how serious your injury may be. What may start out as a stiff or sore neck can rapidly advance to a debilitating condition in a matter of days or weeks. By then, the injury may lead to permanent nerve or neurological damage. If you have a suspicion of a whiplash injury, it’s important to seek medical attention right away, even if your symptoms seem minor.

Can You Sue For Whiplash in a Car Accident?

Whiplash is sometimes thought of as a minor injury, but the reality is that it can quickly become a serious one that affects a person’s entire life and even lead to permanent disability. The good news is that victims of car accidents may have the option to pursue compensation for their whiplash injury by filing a lawsuit against the at-fault driver.

A successful lawsuit can help victims gain financial recompense for their medical expenses, trauma, pain and suffering, and other damages. Generally speaking, the more severe the injury is, the more likely it is that a victim will receive a large settlement if they win.

Protecting Your Health and Legal Rights After a Whiplash Injury From a Car Accident

Following a car accident, the two most important things to prioritize are protecting your safety and the viability of your claim. Seeking medical treatment as soon as possible not only improves your chances of recovering from your injury, it also creates an official record that can serve as key evidence in your car accident case.

As you recover, it’s also a good idea to keep a journal documenting the ways the accident and injury have affected your life, whether you’re suffering from recurring pain or have experienced any emotional effects. This can also be used to strengthen your case.

Other types of key evidence include any photos or videos you took while at the accident scene, along with police reports, insurance records, and witness contact information. If you decide to work with one of our car accident lawyers, we can help you gather all the evidence necessary to build a strong case.

Car Accident Whiplash: FAQs

What does whiplash feel like?

Whiplash typically starts with a deep, aching pain in the neck, back, or shoulders, including stiffness and limited mobility. However, it can sometimes take days or weeks to feel the symptoms and by then, they can advance rapidly and manifest in the form of headaches, ringing in the ears, nausea, dizziness, and numbness or weakness in the arms and hands. Even if your symptoms seem minor, it’s always a good idea to get a medical evaluation following a car accident, just to be sure.

How long does whiplash last?

Whiplash usually lasts a few days to a few weeks, depending on the severity of the injury and how quickly you begin treatment. Most people start to feel better within two to three weeks with rest, gentle movement, and sometimes physical therapy. However, in more serious cases, symptoms can linger for several months or even become chronic or cause permanent disability, especially if there’s nerve damage or if the injury wasn’t treated properly early on. Everyone heals at a different pace, so it’s important to monitor symptoms and follow up with a healthcare provider if pain or stiffness doesn’t improve.

How do you treat whiplash?

Every case is different, but generally, whiplash is treated with a combination of rest, gentle movement, heat and ice, and physical therapy to reduce pain and increase mobility. If your pain is severe enough, your doctor may prescribe you a muscle relaxer, however, over-the-counter pain relievers are usually effective enough.

Can minor accidents give you whiplash?

Yes, you don’t need to be in a high-speed collision to suffer from whiplash, in fact, many whiplash injuries happen during a low-speed rear-end collision at a stoplight. Whiplash happens as a result of sudden force in opposite directions and, in many cases, speed has nothing to do with it.

Suffering From Whiplash Injuries After an Accident in Newport News or Virginia Beach? Let’s Talk

If you’ve been in a car accident and are suffering from nausea, headaches, dizziness, or difficulty sleeping, you may be dealing with a whiplash injury. Although most people recover from whiplash, this type of injury can lead to long-term pain along with difficulty handling day-to-day tasks, and it is often expensive to treat.

Huffman & Huffman can help you pursue a personal injury lawsuit to get the compensation you need to pay medical bills and to provide stability while you heal from the accident. Our whiplash injury lawyers have over 50 years of experience litigating car accident cases and have recovered millions in settlement awards for our clients. Contact us today or stop by one of our offices to learn how we can help.