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It happens in a split second—you feel an impact of some sort as you are in your car, and as a result you feel your neck thrust backward and forward.  Frequently occurring as a result of rear-end car accidents, this sensation, known as whiplash, is quite common.

Whiplash is also referred to as neck strain or neck sprain, and it occurs when damage is done to the soft tissues of the neck.  This, however, is only the beginning of whiplash injuries.  Whiplash can be more severe; for example, damage could be done to nerve roots, ligaments, cervical muscles, discs, and non-vertebral joints.  Before one can understand the correlation between fibromyalgia and whiplash, it is important to understand and recognize the symptoms and typical course of whiplash.

Symptoms Of Whiplash

The most common symptom of whiplash is pain in the neck.  This can occur right after the accident, or perhaps several days later.  There are other possible symptoms of whiplash as well; they may vary depending on the severity.  Such symptoms include: neck stiffness, dizziness and headaches, back and shoulder pain, paresthesias, muscle and ligament injuries, and difficulty swallowing or chewing.  In order to diagnose whiplash, physicians usually do an x-ray.  This allows them to see the extent of the damage and the severity of the whiplash case.

Treatment Of Whiplash

Whiplash can be treated in many ways.  At first, your physician will require you to wear a cervical collar for a few weeks.  However, there are other treatments and ways of soothing a whiplash injury.  Many doctors recommend heat therapy, and still other prescribe pain medications or muscle relaxants.  Some patients even go through physical therapy or motion exercises to regain the use of their neck muscles.  The treatment also depends on the severity of the whiplash case.

When Whiplash Just Won’t Go Away… The Relation Between Fibromyalgia And Whiplash

Whiplash typically goes away after two to four weeks.  However, due to the correlation between fibromyalgia and whiplash, many people continue to suffer intense pain for many weeks because they have either developed fibromyalgia or because they were misdiagnosed to begin with.  If you believe that you have fibromyalgia and whiplash, and the symptoms commonly associated with whiplash have not improved after six to eight weeks, then you should go see your doctor.  The doctor may take more x-rays in order to determine if fibromyalgia and whiplash have played a dual role in your injury.