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If you have ever been in a car crash and experienced pain in your
neck, you have most likely had whiplash. Whiplash, also called
neck sprain or neck strain, is an injury to the soft tissues of
the neck. It is usually caused by sudden extension (backward movement
of the neck) and flexion (forward movement of the neck). This
type of injury is often the result of rear-end car crashes. Severe
whiplash can also include injury to the intervertebral joints,
discs, ligaments, cervical muscles and nerve roots.
Symptoms
of Whiplash
Most people experience neck pain either immediately after the
injury or several days later. Other symptoms of whiplash may include
the following:
- Neck
stiffness
- Injuries
to the muscles and ligaments (myofascial injuries)
- Headache
and dizziness (symptoms of a concussion)
- Difficulty
swallowing and chewing and hoarseness (could indicate injury
to the esophagus and larynx)
- Abnormal
sensations such as burning or prickling (this is called paresthesias)
- Shoulder
pain
- Back pain
Diagnosis
of Whiplash
Although whiplash usually only causes damage to the soft tissues
of the neck, the physician will take x-rays of the cervical spine
for reference in case of delayed symptoms and to rule out other
spinal problems or injuries.
Treatment
Fortunately, whiplash is treatable and most symptoms resolve completely.
Initially, whiplash is treated with a soft cervical collar. This
collar may need to be worn for 2 to 3 weeks.
Other treatments
for individuals with whiplash may include the following:
- Heat
therapy to relieve muscle tension and pain
- Pain medications
such as analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs)
- Muscle
relaxants
- Range
of motion exercises and physical therapy
For most
patients, the symptoms of whiplash usually subside in 2 to 4 weeks.
Patients who continue to have symptoms despite treatment may find
temporary relief by keeping the neck immobilized using a halter
in the office or at home. This is referred to as cervical traction.
Local anesthetic injections may also be helpful.
If symptoms
continue or worsen after 6 to 8 weeks, further x-rays and other
diagnostic testing may be necessary to see if the patient suffered
a more severe injury. Severe extension injuries like whiplash
can damage the intervertebral discs. If this occurs, surgical
repair of the discs may become necessary.
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