A cervical sprain is the injury resulting from a sudden movement of the neck after forced flexion of the head backwards (hyperextension) and/or forwards (hyperflexion).
The term whiplash refers to the kinematic mechanism that causes the injury. It is usually caused by a sudden deceleration of a person in motion (e.g. a person travelling in a vehicle who suffers a collision).
It manifests with pain and stiffness in the neck. These symptoms may extend to the lower and back of the skull (occipital region), to the shoulders and between the shoulder blades.
The diagnosis is clinical. It is completed with an X-ray showing a rectification of the normal curvature of the cervical spine.
Treatment is based on pain control with anti-inflammatory drugs. It is advisable to complement the treatment with physiotherapy to rehabilitate the neck.
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