Whiplash - are the facts getting through to hospitals?

It's official - the UK is still the 'Whiplash Capital' of Europe. With over 1,200 claims for the injury submitted every day, whiplash continues to be a constant drain on resources for the NHS and a literal 'pain in the neck' for harassed claims courts, desperately trying to keep up with the constant flow of claimants. With increasing 'crash for cash' headlines in the newspapers, whiplash is having a bad time of things in the press as well. It's often seen as a quick route to claiming for an injury that is frequently regarded as 'crying wolf'.

But whiplash can be a serious injury. The hyperextension of the neck caused by the forces involved in a rear end collision, even at low speed, can seriously damage the soft tissue and muscles of the neck and shoulders. In extreme cases, it can lead to permanent and debilitating injury and even neurological damage. But many victims still feel that they are not getting the treatment they need from hospital Accident and Emergency rooms - and all because of the confusion surrounding the actual symptoms of whiplash.

But there shouldn't be this level of confusion. Landmark cases in 2008 brought a legal definition of whiplash that was acceptable to the courts and formed the basis of advice sent out to GPs to enable them to recognise the condition in road traffic accident victims in particular. However, it seems that definition hasn't been passed on to some hospital A&E units, with disastrous consequences. A recent case saw an 82-year-old victim of a traffic incident misdiagnosed with whiplash when in fact the man's neck was broken. Despite the fact that he was taken to hospital by the ambulance on a spinal board, he was not even x-rayed, whiplash was diagnosed and the man was given painkillers and sent home.

Whiplash is an injury to the soft tissues of the neck usually caused by sudden extension (backward movement of the neck) and flexion (forward movement of the neck). This type of injury is often the result of rear-end car crashes. Severe whiplash can also include injury to the intervertebral joints, discs, ligaments, cervical muscles and nerve roots. It is also called neck sprain or neck strain.

Symptoms of whiplash may include neck pain and stiffness, injuries to the muscles and ligaments (myofascial injuries), headache and dizziness, shoulder pain, back pain and even difficulty swallowing. With such a well-documented catalogue of symptoms, it seems strange that there are frequent reports of misdiagnosis or incorrect treatment of the injury. The medical profession, as part of their duty of care towards their patients, is required to include the latest research into any treatments or conditions as part of its working practice. If the basic information is not getting through, how can patients be sure that the treatment they are getting for their injuries is not going to compound the situation?

If the NHS is to avoid being sued for medical negligence for the misdiagnosis or mistreatment of such a relatively straightforward condition, it has to make sure that its treatment programmes are up to date, staff have the information they need to make informed decisions about the treatment of patients and that whiplash is given the consideration it deserves.