what is whiplash injury?

Question

I only know this injury as a result of a car colliding with another and causing the first driver's head to be 'rocked'

Answer 1

It's a neck injury caused by the sudden jerking motion of the head as a result of a collision. Where the body moves at a different speed to the head (typically where the body is restrained by the seatbelt), the momentum of the head flexes the neck in one direction (ie: forwards in a front on collision, or backwards in a rear end shunt), only to be snapped back when it can't move in that direction anymore. The motion is much like the way the end of a whip snaps back, hence the name.

The risk of whiplash injuries can be reduced by using a headrest that is properly adjusted to suit the sitting height of the occupant.

Answer 2

Im not a doctor but i might have this right. Whiplash is a couple of things. First if you were in an accident and your head was thrown forward, you can have a concussion, even if you didnt hit your head. Its caused by your brain moving too fast inside your skull. You are also very likely to feel sore the day after the injury even if you didnt feel that bad at the time of the accident. Im also pretty sure you can have whiplash without a car accident because I took a big spill down a set of stairs and felt the same symtoms. Hope this helps!

Answer 3

Whiplash is the common name for a hyper extension/flexion injury to the cervical, thoracic or lumbar spines. The injury is referred to as "whiplash" due to the neck or back being thrown forwards and/or backwards at a rapid speed. This causes the fibres of the neck muscles to tear, resulting in pain and often a decreased range of movement.

Whiplash is a commonly associated with motor vehicle accidents, usually when the vehicle has been hit in the rear, however the injury can be sustained in many other ways.

Cause
A whiplash injury can be the result of impulsive stretching of the spine, as the head snaps forward and then back again causing a whiplash injury. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety defines whiplash as: "a range of neck injuries that are related to sudden distortions of the neck. It takes about 100 milliseconds for an occupant's body to catch up to the car when it is hit, and it is during this time that the damage occurs.

Whiplash can be caused by any motion similar to a rear-end collision in a motor vehicle, such as may take place on a roller coaster or other rides at an amusement park, sports injuries such as skiing accidents, other modes of transportation such as airplane travel or from being hit or shaken. Shaken baby syndrome can result in a whiplash injury.

Wikipedia,

Answer 4

It's something I'm suffering with at the moment since a car crash last september! It's a soft tissue injury to the neck or shoulder area as a result of an intense jolt by the impact of the crash. The surrounding muscles go into spasm to protect the soft tissue and this is what causes the pain. Very often, as a result of holding your head and neck a certain way with the tension of it, your spinal cord goes out of alignment and then the area doesn't get the support it needs from the spine. I found that my osteopath worked wonders for me, but most people see a physiotherapist (as I did in the early stages) and some see a chiropractor.

Answer 5

A neck or back injury usually as a result of a car accident. The injury is often faked by chavs to claim money from insurance companies.

Answer 6

Whiplash is a soft tissue injury to the neck-is also called neck sprain or neck strain. It is characterized by a collection of symptoms that occur following damage to the neck, usually because of sudden extension and flexion. The disorder commonly occurs as the result of a car accident and may include injury to intervertebral joints, discs, and ligaments, cervical muscles, and nerve roots. Symptoms such as neck pain may be present directly after the injury or may be delayed for several days. In addition to neck pain, other symptoms may include neck stiffness, injuries to the muscles and ligaments (myofascial injuries), headache, dizziness, abnormal sensations such as burning or prickling (paresthesias), or shoulder or back pain. In addition, some people experience cognitive, somatic, or psychological conditions such as memory loss, concentration impairment, nervousness/irritability, sleep disturbances, fatigue, or depression.

Answer 7

it's when your head flies off into a certain direction then suddenly stops...the muscles that rotate and keep your head up become damaged by the strain of the movement and this causes trauma, pain and discomfort in the neck.
It's treated by rest and neck support. Eventually if the pain hasn't disapeared after 4-6 weeks some sort of physiotherapy is recommended.

Answer 8

7 years ago I've been involved in a car wreck and even since suffered with severe on and off facial and jaw pain. I've tried almost everything western medicine had to offer and had visited countless of specialist, had done ct scans, and therapies but to no avail. The doctors I have been to had persisted that there wasn't anything wrong with me and that almost drove me crazy as I was going through hell from this condition. According to all my symptoms I was diagnosed by a holistic doctor as having TMJ and he had recommended this book to me. After following the recommendation in the book for several weeks, it had changed my life. I got immediate relief after following the unique set of exercises in the book and after 2 weeks the jaw and face pain had completely gone. I only wish I would have ordered this program years ago. It would have saved me a lot of pain and anguish.

Answer 9

Its caused by stress on the spine from something like the impact of a car crash. Its painful but hasnt actually caused lasting damage to the spine xx

Answer 10

its when you jerk your neck like c1 to c8 disc when you have a crash it might feel OK but the next day diffident story disc can come fused together nerve damage can be very unpleasant and a long time healing