• Pain often starts in the neck and may radiate to other areas of the body.
• Pain can be felt immediately after an incident or may not materialize for 2-3 days.
• The neck often feels stiff and motion is limited.
• Headaches are also often present.
• Contusions, strains, and sprains are also often present depending on the cause of the injury.

Injury Description:

• Whiplash is a term used to describe a rapid end-range oscillatory motion for tissues in the neck.
• Micro-tears will be present in muscles and supportive connective tissues.
• StrainedSee A Complete List muscles will contract and form muscle spasms resulting in pain, weakness, stiffness, and limited activity tolerance.

What Can I Do?

• Early physical therapy treatment significantly speeds recovery to allow for a quicker return to full activity.
• Heat and ice treatments will help decrease inflammation and muscle tightness.
• Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory medication (NSAIDs) and ice help reduce the inflammation and pain in the injured tissues.
• Reduction (not desertion) of activity intensity and duration will allow tissues to recover while remaining mobile.
• If symptoms persist consult your physician.

To maximize your chances for optimal recovery, often a physician will suggest you consult with us to evaluate and modify your treatment and exercises to meet your specific needs.
For more information about whiplash check out this link:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/whiplash/DS01037