What is Whiplash?

Whiplash is a non-medical term used to describe neck pain following an injury to the soft tissues of your neck (specifically ligaments, tendons, and muscles). It is caused by an abnormal motion or force applied to your neck that causes movement beyond the neck's normal range of motion.

The term whiplash was first used in 1928, and despite its replacement by synonyms (such as acceleration flexion-extension neck injury and soft tissue cervical hyperextension injury), it continues to be used to describe this common soft tissue neck injury. More specific terms of

Sprain or Neck Strain

The term, neck sprain is used when a ligament is injured. There are seven bones (in your spinal column) in your neck called cervical vertebrae. These bones are connected to each other by ligaments, which are very strong bands of tissue. When the neck is moved in an extreme position, it is possible to over-stretch or tear the ligament.

The term, neck strain is used when there is injury to the muscle or tendon. Like ligaments, if muscles are stretched too far, or if they are stretched while contracting, it is possible to tear or over-stretch the neck muscles and/or tendons.

Symptoms of Whiplash

These signs and symptoms may occur immediately or minutes to hours after the initial injury The sooner the symptoms develop after the injury the greater the chance of serious damage.

• Neck pain and/or stiffness
• Blurred vision
• Difficulty swallowing
• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Pain between the shoulder blades
• Pain in the arms or legs, feet and hands
• Headache
• Low back pain and/or stiffness
• Shoulder pain
• Nausea
• Ringing in the ears
• Vertigo
• Numbness and tingling
• Pain in the jaw or face
• Neck pain

Causes of Whiplash

Whiplash happens in motor vehicle accidents, sporting activities, accidental falls, and assault. The most frequent cause of whiplash is a car accident. The speed of the cars involved in the accident or the amount of physical damage to the car may not relate to the intensity of neck injury; speeds as low as 15 miles per hour can produce enough energy to cause whiplash in occupants, whether or not they wear seat belts.

Other common causes of whiplash include contact sport injuries and blows to the head from a falling object or being assaulted.

Repetitive stress injuries or chronic strain involving the neck (such as using your neck to hold the phone) are a common, non-acute cause.

Child abuse, particularly the shaking of a child, can also result in this injury as well as in more serious injuries to the child's brain or spinal cord.

Prevention / Treatment of Whiplash

The following guidelines are for information purposes only. Seeking professional advice before beginning rehabilitation is recommended.

Recommended treatment plan may include a mixture of the following:

Ice - apply ice or a cold pack to the neck for 15-20 minutes several times a day. This helps reduce pain and swelling. Do not apply ice directly to your skin.

Heat - heat can help to relax tight or injured muscles. Heat should only be applied where there is no swelling or inflammation.

Chiropractic - chiropractic treatments can also help return movement to restricted spinal joints and to improve the overall mechanics of the spine.

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy is one of the most effective therapies for releasing muscle tension and restoring balance to the musculoskeletal system. The trained therapists at Advanced Alternatives Massage Therapy use massage to help relax the muscles, increase and maintain range of motion, decrease stress and tension, increase circulation, and prevent and breakdown scar tissue formation.