The pain may be a natural response to arterial spasm or irritation of sympathetic nerve fibers within the vertebral artery walls. As many as two-thirds of all whiplash patients report episodes of dizziness following their injuries. The dizziness may manifest as poor equilibrium when standing or walking, as a general feeling of light-headedness or as a feeling of motion when standing still. Additionally, it may merge with other symptoms such as nausea and visual problems. Many determinations are based on the highly subjective interpretation of a complex array of individually inconclusive findings.
Many tests depend for their accuracy on the voluntary and honest participation of the patient.
This, too, is a subjective method of diagnosis. Symptoms of pain, for example, which are of key importance, vary widely due to the nature of the injury as well as the character of the patient. Establishing the source of abnormal findings may be difficult. A vehicular accident, child abuse or another whiplash injury may be the cause. But the problems may also stem from a pre-existing condition that is influenced by the patient's age, profession, athletic activities, overall health and disposition.