Whiplash Injury

It is estimated that 1 in 5 people involved in a car crash suffer a whiplash injury in the process. The injury affects tendons, muscles and ligaments in the neck, stretching and tearing the soft tissue and in some instances, the nerves in the neck are also affected. Whiplash is sometimes referred to as "hyperextension".

If you think you have suffered a whiplash injury, it is always best to consult your doctor or a specialist. While some cases are pretty obvious, knowing the symptoms can help you determine whether or not you are suffering this type of injury.

While treatment of whiplash involves application from your doctor, there are some initial steps you can take to ease the injury. In some cases, a patient may be required to undertake an MRI scan to diagnose the injury. For more information, on dealing with whiplash injuries go to the whiplash treatment page.

Although the exact mechanisms that cause a whiplash injury are unknown, the injury is fairly well understood within the medical profession, despite the lack of visible external injury. It has been generally referred to as a "distortion of the cervical spine with or without cerebral involvement".

In extreme cases of whiplash where treatments applied fail to ease the injury, the condition can be fatal. This is why it is very important to consult a doctor and, if the injury doesn't appear to be improving, to continue with consultations.