ICBC

Motor vehicle accidents can be quite traumatic on the entire body – particularly on the most vulnerable part of the spine – the neck – sometimes referred as a Whiplash injury. This is when there is an injury due to forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck.

Most of the time, people with whiplash recover within a few weeks through the help of exercise and medication, but this is not always the case. If you’ve been injured and developed whiplash, you may have chronic neck pain or other underlying complications.

If left untreated, whiplash often causes musculoskeletal headaches. Musculoskeletal headaches occur when there are significant amounts of tension in the neck. This is typically a result of weaknesses, physical imbalances, or damage, although emotional tension (such as stress) can
also be a contributing factor.

Other symptoms are:

• Loss of range of motion in the neck
• Tenderness or pain in the shoulder, upper back or arms
• Tingling or numbness in the arms
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Memory issues
• Depression/anxiety
• Blurred vision