What do whiplash headaches feel like

The symptoms of whiplash may include neck stiffness or reduced range of movement, neck pain, headaches, and even arm pain. Pain at the back of the neck is often worse with movement, and frequently peaks one or two days after the injury before improving. Muscle spasms and pain between the shoulder blades or over the trapezius muscles between the shoulders and the neck may also occur.

Arm or hand pain, fatigue, numbness, tingling or weakness may be a result of nerve or spinal cord injury or compression. These symptoms usually warrant a more extensive investigation. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version.

Overview Whiplash is a neck injury due to forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck, like the cracking of a whip. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Ferri FF. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor Elsevier; Accessed Dec.

Giangarra CE, et al. Whiplash injury: Treatment and rehabilitation. NINDS whiplash information page. Whiplash happens when structures in your neck, including discs, ligaments, nerves or muscles, are damaged.

Sometimes a small vessel tears after an accident and releases inflammatory substances in the neck, causing swelling and pain. A: You might feel symptoms of whiplash immediately after the injury, or they can show up several days later.

Common signs of whiplash include:. A: Your assessment will start with a physical exam. Depending on the results, a doctor might order a magnetic resonance imaging MRI , computed tomography CT scan or X-ray if they suspect whiplash. But for most people, the injury occurs within structures too small to be seen in these tests.

This is true even if you are experiencing pain. As a result, symptoms remain the primary way to tell if you have whiplash. A: Yes. Some people are more prone to having whiplash after an accident. Read more: No exercises needed to fix your posture ». Some people with whiplash do experience chronic pain or headaches for years following their accident. Doctors may be able to trace this pain to damaged neck joints, disks, and ligaments.

But chronic pain following a whiplash injury typically has no medical explanation. However, very few people have any long-term complications from whiplash. Usually, recovery time is anywhere from a few days to several weeks. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke , most people recover fully within three months. Neck pain, also known as cervicalgia, is common. Although it can be unpleasant, it usually isn't a reason to worry.

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