Whiplash

When it comes to neck pain, the most common diagnosis is the infamous “whiplash”.

This trauma to the cervical vertebrae is mainly due to a car accident, but not exclusively…

What are the causes and symptoms, and above all, how can you relieve this back pain?

Causes

Whiplash is most likely to occur in a car accident. A sudden, jarring impact forces your head to move violently backwards and forwards.

During this shock, hyperextension can occur in the cervical vertebrae. This hypertension can damage the muscles, tendons and ligaments in your neck, or pinch nerves.

We therefore strongly advise you not only to drive carefully, but also to use special headrests. Although they’re not flawless, they do add considerable protection to your everyday driving.

Whiplash can also occur in a variety of contact sports, such as rugby. But other combat or extreme sports (skateboarding, surfing, etc.) are not to be outdone.

Last but not least, swimming, which is little known as a potentially dangerous sport, can also cause whiplash. If dives are poorly executed and from a great height, the impact with the water is potentially dangerous!

Symptoms

Symptoms of whiplash include

• headaches, mainly in the lower part of the skull ;
• inability to move the neck ;
• dizziness, faintness and blurred vision;
• radiating pain at the back of the head;
• impaired concentration.

Relief

If the pain is not too intense, continue with your daily activities. Resting during back pain is generally not recommended. On the contrary, it’s best to keep working your neck muscles, to facilitate recovery.

Apply “cold” to the painful area. As the shock has had a completely normal inflammatory effect, the cold will help reduce the inflammation. It doesn’t matter whether you use frozen peas, a blue bag or ice cubes wrapped in a paper towel… Apply to the neck for a maximum of 15 minutes. If necessary, repeat the treatment after a 45-minute break.

If your trauma persists over time, or leaves you handicapped, don’t wait any longer – go and see your doctor. Although most whiplash victims recover quite easily, stay alert!

Article by : Francis Galineri | Review guidelines | Review consultants
Last updated on 26 January 2025.
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