Whiplash diagnosis

For many years, whiplash-type injuries were dismissed as something suffered by hypochondriacs because they could not be seen on x-rays nor identified by physical examination. Many people who had suffered a whiplash injury did not receive any treatment for their injury and found claiming compensation difficult.

It can still be difficult to identify the exact whiplash injury that someone has suffered. However, whiplash is now a well-documented occurrence and the resulting neck injuries have been seen in many studies. This means that Whiplash-Associated Disorders are now taken more seriously by doctors and it is easier to get whiplash compensation. Read about what a Whiplash-Associated Disorder is.

After a car accident, someone with a suspected whiplash-type injury will often visit a GP or Accident and Emergency. They will be asked about the symptoms they are experiencing, the circumstances of the accident, and will undergo a physical examination. If doctors suspect a neck fracture, an x-ray will be carried out immediately.

Many people who have an injury caused by whiplash do not find out the cause of their pain and are diagnosed with a Whiplash-Associated Disorder. Symptoms often resolve themselves quickly and no further treatment is needed. Read more about the symptoms of whiplash injuries.

Diagnosis of Whiplash-Associated Disorders
If symptoms persist for more than 12 weeks or are particularly painful or bothersome, further investigation may be carried out. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans, computed tomography (CT) scans, and electromyography are some of the techniques that are used to pinpoint a particular neck injury.

MRI scans use magnetism to visualise the tissues inside the body. They can be used to the benefit of whiplash patients to see injuries that include disc hernias, disc injuries, and nerve compression.

A CT scan uses a combination of technology and x-rays to create a three dimensional image of the inside of the neck which can be examined for abnormalities. It is sometimes used with a myelogram, which is a contrasting substance that helps to differentiate between types of tissue. Electromyography is a technique that involves testing the state of the nerves and muscles. This is useful in patients who report arm pain following their whiplash-type injury and a trapped nerve is the suspected cause.

Some medical professionals will use discography, an injection into the disc itself, to discover the cause of disc pain. However, this diagnostic method is not used by all hospitals and due to its complexity is only used on long-term patients who are in very severe pain.

A 2004 pilot study at the University of Nottingham found that ultrasound proved useful in identifying neck muscles that were bleeding or were swollen. Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to create a picture of inside the body and in the future could be used more regularly as a diagnostic tool for whiplash-type injuries.

Whiplash injury compensation
If you have been diagnosed with a Whiplash-Associated Disorder and the accident in which you sustained the injury was not your fault, you may be entitled to compensation. It is important to keep any notes and prescriptions given to you while you are being diagnosed so that they can be used to support your personal injury case.

We help people from all over the UK to get compensation for their whiplash neck injury through our supportive and cost-free service. We make no deductions from any money you are awarded and we guarantee that you will not be left with any bills to pay at the end of your claim.

If you wish to find out more about compensation for Whiplash-Associated Disorders, please telephone 0800 10 757 95 or fill in an online claim form and we will call you.