Chronic Whiplash
Many people involved in car accidents that have experienced acute neck pain often develope chronic pain that may last for years. Studies have shown that chronic neck pain, or cervical pain, is the result of whiplash injury. It is even possible that these injuries become partially or permanent disabilities.
Facet joints are small joints on each side of the vertebra that help stabilize the spine and allow for movement in all directions. In car accidents the facet joints experience pinching motions that place compression at the posterior and distraction of the anterior, typically coupled with shear. This stress causes damage to the structure around the joint itself and can even cause intra-articular hemorrhaging.
Facet joint injuries are extremely hard to detect. These types of injuries do not show up on x-rays, CAT Scans or MRIs. This is due to the microscopic damage done to the tiny areas within the facet joint that are not "usually" visible. The difficulty in observing the damage often leads Physicians to conclude that there is no structural damage and only soft tissue damage.