What is Whiplash?
Whiplash is the common name for a neck (cervical) sprain and strain injury.
It is caused by the sudden exaggerated thrust of the head backward (hyperextension), forwards (hyperflexion), and sometimes sideways. This results in soft tissue damage (stretching or rupture) to the ligaments and muscles surrounding the cervical spine as they are forced beyond their normal physiological limits.
As a result of the mechanical forces applied to the cervical spine, whiplash injury is also referred to as an acceleration- deceleration injury.
The cervical spine is held together by a complex set of ligaments and these ligaments may be extremely stretched, partially torn or completely ruptured in a whiplash injury. The muscles are also either slightly strained or even torn depending on the force. The common muscles affected are the sternocleidomastoid, scalene, trapezius and levator scapulae muscles of the neck and back.
Headaches are a common ailment experienced by most of us at some point in our life. For a few, headaches are a daily occurrence and can be so severe that it affects daily functioning. Most headaches are tension headaches and should not be confused with migraines.
A headache may arise at any time, for no known reason or there may be known trigger factors. The pain may be sudden or start gradually, intensifying over time, and can last for hours, days or weeks or disappear suddenly.
