It can injure intervertebral joints, discs, and ligaments, cervical muscles, or even nerve roots. Whiplash can be accompanied by concussions or TMJ injury. The effects can be short term or life long, and can leave the neck forever vulnerable to injury. The shoulders and arms often are also affected by whiplash, even to the extent of paralysis. Experts estimate that over 1,000,000 people are exposed to whiplash injury in the U.S. every year.
Whiplash can be deadly.
If it is severe enough, it can damage the brain stem and cause death. It is believed that most people on TWA Flight 800 were killed instantly by phenomenal whiplash , not in the fireball or crash. There are several methods to determine whiplash. Sometimes a simple physical examination is all that is needed while other physicians will take x-rays to determine there are no fractures of the vertebrae or to see how the alignment of the neck has been altered. If you're taken to the hospital from an accident, you'll probably be put in a hard neck brace on a back board.