A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps: General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body weight, height; further: Inspection (viewing). Neck/neck/shoulder region [possible symptoms (grade 1, 2): forced posture due to pain; neck pain; myogelosis (knot-like or bulge-like, clearly circumscribed hardening in the muscles; also colloquially known as hard … Whiplash Injury: Examination
Laboratory diagnosis is usually not required.
Therapy goals Analgesia (pain relief) Restitutio ad integrum (complete healing). Therapy recommendations Analgesia (pain relief) according to WHO staging scheme. Non-opioid analgesic (paracetamol, first-line agent). Low-potency opioid analgesic (e.g., tramadol) + non-opioid analgesic. High-potency opioid analgesic (eg, morphine) + non-opioid analgesic. Muscle relaxants (eg, tolperisone) for painful muscle tension. Antidepressants (eg amitriptyline) or even lidocaine … Whiplash Injury: Drug Therapy
Medical history (history of illness) represents an important component in the diagnosis of whiplash. Family history Social history Current anamnesis/systemic anamnesis (somatic and psychological complaints). When, how, or in what circumstances did you sustain an injury? (Please describe the injury event in detail). Pre-traumatic anamnesis if necessary external anamnesis. Inspection of the protocols of the … Whiplash Injury: Medical History
Injuries, poisonings, and other sequelae of external causes (S00-T98). Cervical spine trauma grade 1 Cervical spine trauma grade 2 Cervical spine trauma grade 3 Further Headbanging (movement of the head in time with the music: quickly back and forth, sideways, in circles or figure eights).
The following are the most important diseases or complications that can be caused by whiplash: Cardiovascular system (I00-I99) Apoplexy (stroke)-two weeks after head or neck trauma in patients younger than 50 years in 0.04%; in 37% of cases, the apoplexy occurred on the day of the accident; one-fourth of cases had unremarkable angiography of the … Whiplash Injury: Complications
Classification and severity of disorders in whiplash injury based on the Quebec Task Force, modified from Spitzer. Severity Symptomatology 0 No cervical spine complaints* No objectifiable failures I Cervical spine complaints: Pain, feeling of stiffness, hypersensitivity. No objectifiable failures II Cervical spine complaints: Pain, feeling of stiffness, hypersensitivity, and. Musculoskeletal findings: limitation of movement, palpatory … Whiplash Injury: Classification
Obligatory medical device diagnostics. Radiographs of the cervical spine in two planes, additional oblique/target radiographs if necessaryIndications: following risk factors directly indicative of imaging: Age ≥ 65 years, dangerous mechanism of trauma, paresthesias (insensitivity) of the extremities; see also below under further indications: Exclusion of cervical spine injury clinically and without imaging. Optional medical device … Whiplash Injury: Diagnostic Tests
In the presence of “cervical spine trauma grade 3 (= fractures (broken bones), luxations (dislocations), ruptured discs, ruptured ligaments (torn ligaments) with neurological symptoms), surgical therapy may be necessary, depending on the exact cause.
To prevent whiplash, attention must be paid to reducing individual risk factors. Behavioral risk factors Traffic accidents Sports accidents Recreational accidents
The following symptoms and complaints may indicate whiplash: Grade 1 Cephalgia (headache) Neck pain Forced posture due to pain Vertigo (dizziness) Nausea (nausea)/vomiting Myogelosis (nodular or bulging, clearly circumscribed hardening in the muscles; colloquially referred to as hard tension) Insomnia (sleep disorders) Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) Complaint-free interval > 1 hour immediately after injury … Whiplash Injury: Symptoms, Complaints, Signs
Pathogenesis (development of disease) Cervical spine distortion is defined as overbending of the spine due to tensile and shear forces. It can occur with or without head-contact effects (e.g., steering wheel impact).Hyperflexion (severe overflexion) and/or hyperextension (whiplash mechanism) occur, causing pain in the small joints due to myogelosis (muscle tension/stiffness).Vertebral bodies C4-6 are commonly affected. … Whiplash Injury: Causes
