The serious injuries to the neck due to some kind of distortion are collectively called as whiplash. The common causes of whiplash are accidents most prominently motor vehicle accidents. However, some other accidents as falling on the neck or something being hit on the neck during fighting also are responsible in a large number of cases. Shaking very young babies vigorously also may result into a whiplash injury.
The exact mechanism or cause of whiplash is not known. However, it is believed that an impulsive stretching of the spinal chord specially the ligament in the spinal chord can result into whiplash. A ligament is present in the anterior part of the neck, which is placed longitudinally. During an accident, this ligament may be stretched or it may tear. This happens when the head is thrown forward and then again backward quickly.
The common symptoms of whiplash include pain in the neck. The will also feel aching in the neck. This pain and aching is also felt in the back and shoulders. Very often the patients feel sensory disturbances like a feeling of pricking with needles or pins in the arms, and legs. Headaches are about to be experienced by the patients.
The symptoms may take some time to appear. However, some cases they surface immediately after the whiplash injury.
Whenever any injury occurs, primary treatment is always taken. However, this primary treatment can in most of the cases prevent or cure whiplash immediately. However, for this a neat and complete diagnosis and treatment is required after such an accident. However, in most of the cases even this does not prevent whiplash. This is because it generally some time is required for the development of the symptoms. Therefore, it is not that correctly diagnosed and treated at that time.
Therefore, medical help is sought only after the symptoms appear later. For the treatment of whiplash, the doctors need to find out exactly where the damage has occurred. This along with the other factors as the extent of damage etc will play an important role in treatment.
The treatment of whiplash, most of the times will involve a surgery. During the surgery, the doctors will correct the damage occurred. Nevertheless, in many cases, the damage is not very severe and it can be repaired with time. In such cases medications and physical therapy is advised by the doctors for pain relief.
Most of the times treatment is successful, however, it is always better to avoid a trauma like whiplash.