Whiplash? How long can I wait to be checked?

I was rear-ended today. There is minimal visable damage to my car, what I can see can probably be buffed out. I was visably shaking afterward and had a headache very shortly afterward. Now a few hours later, the center of my back and one side of my neck feel mildly stiff and sore. It's a holiday weekend, so I can't get checked by a chiropractor until Tuesday, my only immediate option would be the ER - but I don't want to make too big a deal out of it... and I'm home alone with the kids, it's be a pain to go to the ER tonight. Is it OK to wait until Tuesday? Should I go to the ER tomorrow even if it was a minor accident and they won't have a back specialist in there anyhow? I'd appreciate any advice... I do NOT want to be hurt, but I want to be sure I get the care I need b/c I'm starting a new job this week that is physically demanding.

if you're just sore, it's generally okay, and is indicative of musculoskeletal pain. when it becomes more worrisome is if you develop any further neurologic signs or symptoms, e.g. if you have neckpain look for numbness/tingling in your fingertips or arms; or if you have had low back pain similarly look for numbness tingling in your feet or legs. look for radiating pain (pain that spreads from point of origin in neck or back and spreads distally. If you start to develop weakness/loss of coordination in any of your extremities you should be worried as well. All these signs symptoms can be indicative of nerve impingement which a chiropractor will NOT be able to help, and who may cause even greater damage with manipulation. You will need an MRI (fine slice) to see if you have any slipped disks/nerve impingement etc.

If it's just muscle sorenes/tightness and it is improving, then generally you should be ok. Whiplash can be much worse the second day, or even the following week than it was immediately following the accident.

And if you're starting a physically demanding job this week, you need to see a doc to get a note, cuz you definitely can aggravate ur symptoms whether it's musculoskeletal or neurologic, by doing physically demanding work so soon after the accident.

but to cover all ur bases you should see a doc...(i just felt obligated to mention that...hehe)

Go get checked out right way, don't let it wait to long, you could actually be doing more damage then what you think.

I would get check out as soon as possible. If you want to see if you do have whiplash, you can to to the source to check your symptoms.

I had whiplash before and never went to anybody for it. It got better in a week I think.

I fell on my back and my head slammed into the ground. Mostly it was just hard to hold my head up. The next day I started getting a lot of stiffness in my neck and back muscles. Nothing was ever overly bad. It was just some stiffness for a few days. I never when to a doctor and so I save however much money that would have costed. It would have just been wasted.

It was a little scary, since I hit my head so hard. I almost didn't wake up the next day. My alarm when off for a half hour before I came to.

You should go to the ER immediately. Find someone to watch the children and get it checked out, they should at least x-ray you and give you something to ease your pain.

Symptoms can appear directly after the crash, but often are not felt until days afterwards. ((Wikipedia))

Preferably as soon as you feel the symptoms, but if not possible, then as soon as the doctor is available.

I would go to the doctor immediately. If you wait to get checked, You may be doing more harm than good.

you should go right now back pain is nothing to mess around with