Whiplash occurs when your neck is suddenly and violently ‘whipped’ back and forth quickly. Whiplash is commonly suffered following a rear-end auto accident – where your head is very prone to a sudden back and forth movement.
Following an injury, a chronic headache may develop. While the headache is a result of the injury, the direct cause is unknown. Possible causes include damaged joints or discs in your neck, or the inflammation of soft tissue. When the issue arises is different per case as well. A whiplash headache may begin and persist immediately after the injury – or it may show up hours, days or weeks later.
Generally, the pain caused by a whiplash headache will be felt at the base of the skull, and travel or radiate all the way up to the top of the head. The headache may go away after a short period of time – but it may even persist for years.
