Whiplash & Post-Concussion Syndrome

Whiplash is a type of neck injury that occurs when the head is abruptly jerked backward and forward, putting the cervical spine (neck) under rapid and excessive strain. This sudden motion can cause damage to the muscles, ligaments, discs, and other neck structures, resulting in a range of symptoms that may include neck pain, stiffness, headaches, dizziness, and arm pain or numbness.

Although whiplash and concussions are distinct injuries with different primary sites of injury (neck vs. brain), they can often co-occur due to common sudden acceleration-deceleration mechanisms (e.g. rear-end collision), and share many overlapping symptoms, such as headache, neck pain, dizziness, cognitive difficulties, and even eye pain.

The cervical spine has an important role in maintaining balance, coordinating head and eye movements, and processing sensory information related to spatial orientation.  Dysfunctions of the cervical spine (e.g. whiplash-associated disorder) can contribute to vestibular symptoms (e.g. dizziness, vertigo, and imbalance) and may interfere with the brain’s ability to understand where the head (and eyes and ears) is relative to the body and the external spatial world surrounding it.  Cervical dysfunctions therefore can further contribute to the brain’s “Lost In Space” problem and further complicate the management of post-concussion syndrome.