"Whiplash is a common injury, usually associated with motor vehicle collisions 1-5. The incidence of whiplash injury varies significantly between geographical locations and different countries, and is often given as between 15 and 200 per 100,000 5. Approximately 50% of these patients will have neck pain symptoms at one year post-injury 4,6, which leads to considerable chronic disability and results in a significant economic burden 1,2,4,5."
"Clinical presentation "
"Risk factors for whiplash syndrome include 2,3:"
"Whiplash injury is poorly understood, and there are many questions regarding the pathology of this syndrome 2. Whiplash consists of injuries to the ligaments, tendons, nerves, muscles, discs, and bones in the cervical spine, caused by an acceleration-deceleration mechanism of energy to the neck; as a result, the head jerks back and forth 1-5,7."
Expected headings
"Clinical presentation "
"Associations"
"hyperextension, hyperflexion and lateral flexion mechanisms sustained in motor vehicle collisions (particularly rear-end automobile collisions), sports accidents, physical abuse, amusement park rides, or other trauma"
"grade I: neck pain, stiffness or tenderness, and no physical signs"
"Other symptoms can be present in all grades such as headache, upper backache, numbness in head and face, temporomandibular joint pain, dizziness, tinnitus, hearing loss, double and/or blurred vision, dysphagia, angina-like chest pain, nausea and vomiting, paraesthesias or pain in the shoulder, arm or hand, deficit of concentration, memory loss, sleeplessness, fatigability, irritability and depression 1,2,4."
"Other symptoms can be present in all grades such as headache, upper backache, numbness in head and face, temporomandibular joint pain, dizziness, tinnitus, hearing loss, double and/or blurred vision, dysphagia, angina-like chest pain, nausea and vomiting, paraesthesias or pain in the shoulder, arm or hand, deficit of concentration, memory loss, sleeplessness, fatigability, irritability and depression 1,2,4."
"Other symptoms can be present in all grades such as headache, upper backache, numbness in head and face, temporomandibular joint pain, dizziness, tinnitus, hearing loss, double and/or blurred vision, dysphagia, angina-like chest pain, nausea and vomiting, paraesthesias or pain in the shoulder, arm or hand, deficit of concentration, memory loss, sleeplessness, fatigability, irritability and depression 1,2,4."
"Other symptoms can be present in all grades such as headache, upper backache, numbness in head and face, temporomandibular joint pain, dizziness, tinnitus, hearing loss, double and/or blurred vision, dysphagia, angina-like chest pain, nausea and vomiting, paraesthesias or pain in the shoulder, arm or hand, deficit of concentration, memory loss, sleeplessness, fatigability, irritability and depression 1,2,4."
"Whiplash injury is poorly understood, and there are many questions regarding the pathology of this syndrome 2. Whiplash consists of injuries to the ligaments, tendons, nerves, muscles, discs, and bones in the cervical spine, caused by an acceleration-deceleration mechanism of energy to the neck; as a result, the head jerks back and forth 1-5,7."
"The treatment of whiplash syndrome is usually conservative, initially with ice applications for the first hours after the trauma, anti-inflammatory therapy, active gradual self-mobilisation, physical therapy, and exercise 1,2,5,11-13. Neck immobilisation with a cervical collar has been discouraged by current evidence except in specific high-grade injuries 12."
"Whiplash injury is poorly understood, and there are many questions regarding the pathology of this syndrome 2. Whiplash consists of injuries to the ligaments, tendons, nerves, muscles, discs, and bones in the cervical spine, caused by an acceleration-deceleration mechanism of energy to the neck; as a result, the head jerks back and forth 1-5,7."
"There are no reliable radiologic findings to accurately confirm or refute tissue injury in the majority of patients with whiplash-associated disorders 3,6."