Symptoms of whiplash do not always appear right away. Typically, symptoms do not emerge for the first 12 to 24 hours after the injury, and it may take days or even weeks before they are present. In other cases, patients may feel pain and stiffness in the neck following the injury that disappears for a few days before returning. Muscles groups that may be affected include those in the head, chest, shoulders and arms.

 In addition to neck pain and stiffness, symptoms can include:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Sensations such as burning or prickling (paresthesias)
• Shoulder pain
• Back pain
• Arm pain
• Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) or difficulty hearing
• Blurred vision
• Excessive sweating

In addition to pain, some people with whiplash experience cognitive, somatic (relating to the body) or psychological symptoms. These include:

• Loss of memory
• Impaired concentration
• Nervousness or irritability
• Sleep disturbances
• Fatigue
• Depression

Whiplash injuries can also result in damage to the esophagus, the muscular tube that serves as the passage between the mouth and the stomach. Damage to the vocal cords that causes hoarseness has also been reported. Patients should call their physician if they experience a violent injury to the neck that is followed by pain. 

It is common for the joints between the cervical vertebrae to get displaced or pulled during a whiplash injury. A physician’s care should especially be sought for those who experience any of the following:

• Neck pain and stiffness that returns after it had disappeared
• Pain that spreads into the shoulders or arms
• Pain experienced when moving the head
• Numbness, tingling or weakness in the arms
• Bladder or bowel dysfunction