Overview

Whiplash is a neck injury due to forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck, like the cracking of a whip. Whiplash most often occurs during a rear-end auto accident, but the injury can also result from a sports accident, physical abuse or other trauma.

Common signs and symptoms of whiplash include neck pain, stiffness and headaches. Most people with whiplash get better within a few weeks by following a treatment plan that includes pain medication and exercise. However, some people have chronic neck pain and other long-lasting complications.

Whiplash may be called a neck sprain or strain, but these terms also include other types of neck injuries.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of whiplash usually — but not always — develop within 24 hours of the injury and may include:

• Neck pain and stiffness
• Worsening of pain with neck movement
• Loss of range of motion in the neck
• Headaches, most often starting at the base of the skull
• Tenderness or pain in the shoulder, upper back or arms
• Tingling or numbness in the arms
• Fatigue
• Dizziness

Some people also have:

• Blurred vision
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
• Sleep disturbances
• Irritability
• Difficulty concentrating
• Memory problems
• Depression

When to see a doctor

See your doctor if you have any neck pain or other whiplash symptoms after a car accident, sports injury or other traumatic injury. It's important to get a prompt and accurate diagnosis and to rule out broken bones or tissue damage that can cause or worsen symptoms.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Causes

Whiplash typically occurs when your head is forcefully and quickly thrown backward and then forward. This motion can injure bones in the spine, disks between the bones, ligaments, muscles, nerves and other tissues of the neck.

A whiplash injury may result from:

• Auto accidents. Rear-end collisions are a major cause of whiplash.
• Physical abuse or assault. Whiplash can occur if you are punched or shaken. It's one of the injuries seen in shaken baby syndrome.
• Contact sports. Football tackles and other sports-related collisions can sometimes cause whiplash.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask questions about the event and your symptoms. You also may be asked questions that can help your doctor understand more about the frequency and severity of your symptoms and how well you can perform normal everyday tasks.

Examination

During the exam your doctor will need to touch and move your head, neck and arms. You will be asked to move and perform simple tasks so that your doctor can determine:

• Range of motion in your neck and shoulders
• Degree of motion that causes pain or an increase in pain
• Tenderness in the neck, shoulders or back
• Reflexes, strength and sensation in your limbs

Imaging tests

Imaging tests may not show any abnormal changes. However, your doctor will likely order one or more imaging tests to rule out other conditions that could be making your neck pain worse.

• X-rays. Fractures, dislocations or arthritis can be identified by X-rays of the neck taken from many angles.
• Computerized tomography (CT). This special type of X-ray can produce cross-sectional images of bone and show possible bone damage.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This imaging test uses radio waves and a magnetic field to produce detailed 3-D images. In addition to bone injuries, MRI scans can detect some soft tissue injuries, such as damage to the spinal cord, disks or ligaments.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com

Complications

Most people who have whiplash feel better within a few weeks. However, some people continue to have pain for several months or years after the injury occurred.

It is difficult to predict how each person with whiplash may recover. In general, you may be more likely to have chronic pain if your first symptoms were intense, started rapidly and included:

• Severe neck pain
• Headaches
• Pain that spread to the arms

The following risk factors have been linked to a worse outcome:

• Having had whiplash before
• Older age
• Existing low back or neck pain

Alternative medicine

Nontraditional therapies have been tried to treat whiplash pain, but research about how well they work is limited. Some include:

• Acupuncture. Acupuncture involves inserting ultrafine needles through specific areas on your skin. It may offer some relief from neck pain.
• Chiropractic care. A chiropractor performs joint manipulation techniques. There is some evidence that chiropractic care may provide pain relief when paired with exercise or physical therapy. Manipulation of the spine may cause minor problems, such as numbness or dizziness, and rarely damage to spinal tissues.
• Massage. Neck massage may provide short-term relief of neck pain from whiplash injury.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.com