Neck Strain and Whiplash

Neck strain is often just called whiplash. Although it's usually associated with car accidents, any impact or blow that causes your head to jerk forward or backward can cause neck strain. The sudden force stretches and tears the muscles and tendons in your neck.

Neck strain afflicts many amateur and professional athletes. People who play contact sports like football are especially prone to neck strain.

Neck strains are often confused with neck sprains. They're a bit different. Neck strains are caused by damage to the muscle or the tendons, bands of tissue that connect muscles to bones. Neck sprains are caused by tearing of the ligaments, the tissues that connect the bones to each other.

However, the differences between these strains and sprains probably won't mean much to you. The causes, symptoms, and treatment of neck sprains and neck strains are usually the same.

What Are the Symptoms of Whiplash?

The pain of whiplash is often hard to ignore. The symptoms include:

• Pain, decreased range of motion, and tightness in the neck. The muscles may feel hard or knotted.
• Pain when rocking your head from side to side or backward and forward.
• Tenderness.
• Headaches at the base of the skull that radiate towards the forehead.

Sometimes, the pain of a neck strain is immediate. In other cases, it can take several hours before your neck begins to hurt.

The blow that causes neck strain can sometimes cause a concussion, too. Since concussions can be serious, you need to see a doctor right away. You need emergency medical care if you are confused, dizzy, nauseous, excessively sleepy, or unconscious.

To diagnose neck strain, your doctor will give you a thorough examination. You may also need X-rays, CT (computed tomography) scans, and other tests, to rule out other problems.

What's the Treatment for Whiplash?

Here's the good news: given time, whiplash should heal on its own. To help with recovery, you should:

• Ice your neck to reduce pain and swelling as soon as you can after the injury. Do it for 20-30 minutes every 3-4 hours for 2-3 days.
• Take painkillers or other drugs, if recommended by your doctor. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( NSAIDs), like Advil, Aleve, or Motrin, will help with pain and swelling. However, these medicines can have side effects. Never use them regularly unless your doctor specifically says you should. Prescription painkillers and muscle relaxants are sometimes necessary.
• Use a neck brace or collar to add support, if your doctor recommends it.
• Apply moist heat to your neck -- but only after 2-3 days of icing it first. Use heat on your neck only after the initial swelling has gone down. You could use hot, wet towels or just take a hot bath.
• Other treatments, like ultrasound and massage, may also help.