What structures are damaged in whiplash injuries?
Whiplash injuries can damage just a few structures or many, depending on the severity of the accident and direction of the injurious forces, to name a few. Some of the more common pain-sensitive structures that are damaged include: • outer layers of the intervertebral discs • intervertebral ligaments • capsule of the facet joints • anterior longitudinal ligament (runs down the front of the vertebral bodies-prevents excessive extension) • posterior longitudinal ligament (runs down the back of the vertebral bodies-prevents excessive flexion) • nerve root dura • extensor spinal musculature • flexor spinal musculature: the colli and scalene muscles Damage to any of these structures results in tissue inflammation, tissue edema, microscopic hemorrhage, and the release of noxious chemicals such as histamine, prostaglandins, substance P, and kinins which further hypersensitize already painful and injured tissues.
