Whiplash is a neck injury that includes:
Whiplash can occur with any sudden, violent, backward jerk of the head or neck that can often occur during:
Risk factors for whiplash include:
Risk factors for poor outcome or longer recovery include being:
The symptoms usually develop over the several hours after the injury. Within 24 hours of the symptoms tend to reach their peak.
Symptoms include:
The doctor will ask about your symptoms. You will be asked how the injury occurred. A physical exam will be done. Although most whiplash injuries do not show up on imaging tests, your doctor may choose to order some tests to make sure that no other injuries.
Tests may include:
Treatment includes:
Current belief is that a better recovery can result from earlier activity including:
There is some evidence of the effect of the following:
If you are diagnosed with whiplash, follow your doctor's instructions .
RESOURCES:
American Academy of Family Physicians
http://www.aafp.org/
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
http://www.aaos.org/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Healthy Canadians
http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/
Physical Therapy Canada
http://www.physicaltherapy.ca/
References:
Conlin A. Bhogal S. Sequeira K. Teasell R. Treatment of whiplash-associated disorders--part II: Medical and surgical interventions. Pain Research & Management. 10(1):33-40, 2005.
Conlin A. Bhogal S. Sequeira K. Teasell R. Treatment of whiplash-associated disorders--part I: Non-invasive interventions. Pain Research & Management. 10(1):21-32, 2005.
Curatolo M. Arendt-Nielsen L. Petersen-Felix S. Evidence, mechanisms, and clinical implications of central hypersensitivity in chronic pain after whiplash injury. Clinical Journal of Pain. 20(6):469-76, 2004 Nov-Dec.
Dambro MR. Griffith's 5-Minute Clinical Consult . 2001 ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2001.
Primary Care Medicine . 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2000.
Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice . 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Mosby-Year Book; 1998.
Verhagen AP. Scholten-Peeters GG. van Wijngaarden S. de Bie RA. Bierma-Zeinstra SM. Conservative treatments for whiplash. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. (2):CD003338, 2007.
Last reviewed February 2009 by Robert E. Leach, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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