A whiplash is an unexpected and sudden movement of the cervical spine due to a variation in speed towards one direction with a sudden change in the opposite direction.

The World Health Organization (WHO) discerns the lesion mechanism Whiplashfrom the injuries of the event Whiplash injury (reversal of the cervical spine, injury of the anterior longitudinal ligament, etc.) and the secondary symptoms of the trauma Whiplash associated disorders (general pain in the body, nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness and loss of balance, mood disorders, fatigue etc.)

Car crash is the classic example of whiplash. During this unexpected event, the body hasn’t the chance of defending itself and the lack of reaction causes a traumatic wave which traverses the body. It begins from the pelvis and spreads throughout the spine and through all the tissue and organs. The body immediately reacts contracting, making all the structures stiff. Usually such responses are associated with emotions such as fear, anxiety, panic.

The whiplash affects the person as a whole, disturbing the homeostasis.

The Ostheopath will work on the whole body, evaluating patient symptoms, making a physical exam and focusing on all the structures that might be affected (such as pelvis, sacrum, abdomen, skull), not only on the cervical spine. The treatment will aim at ensuring that the person finds is balance.