Pain Management: What Is Whiplash?
When someone’s head moves back and then forward very fast, whiplash occurs. What happens is that the force exerted by that unexpected motion extends the ligaments and tissues in your neck beyond their natural range of motion, causing some damage as well as pain.
What Are Some Typical Causes of Whiplash? One of the most common causes of whiplash is being involved in a car accident. When you are rear-ended, and the car suddenly stops, the inertia drives your head forward until the seatbelt or something else stops you, hyperextending your neck’s tissues.