Whiplash is a general term used to describe an injury to the ligaments in the neck and shoulders caused by a swift, sharp movement of the head. Whiplash is a common injury in traffic accidents, particularly in rear-end collisions, and may lead to mild symptoms such as a stiff neck, or more serious symptoms such as permanent stiffness or restricted movement. The injury may also include damage to muscles and nerves in the neck and shoulder area. Sometimes, the symptoms of whiplash don't appear immediately. Warning signs include numbness, muscular pain, pain in the shoulders or arms, aching joints, and dizziness. A special X-ray procedure, called a flexion-extension (FLEC-shun ex-TEN-shun) test, can reveal ligament damage or whiplash. If you've been involved in an accident where whiplash may have occurred, you may want to have the flexion-extension test performed in order to determine whether or not you have suffered an injury. In some cases, whiplash can be treated by physiotherapy (fizz-ee-oh-THARE-uh-pee) combined with medication, but treatment may sometimes continue for an extended period of time.
