Whiplash News and Research

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Whiplash-a soft tissue injury to the neck-is also called neck sprain or neck strain. It is characterized by a collection of symptoms that occur following damage to the neck, usually because of sudden extension and flexion. The disorder commonly occurs as the result of an automobile accident and may include injury to intervertebral joints, discs, and ligaments, cervical muscles, and nerve roots. Symptoms such as neck pain may be present directly after the injury or may be delayed for several days. In addition to neck pain, other symptoms may include neck stiffness, injuries to the muscles and ligaments (myofascial injuries), headache, dizziness, abnormal sensations such as burning or prickling (paresthesias), or shoulder or back pain. In addition, some people experience cognitive, somatic, or psychological conditions such as memory loss, concentration impairment, nervousness/irritability, sleep disturbances, fatigue, or depression.

New genetic clues may help prevent unexpected strokes in youth

UVA Health stroke researchers have identified a distinct and temporary pattern of gene behavior during cervical artery dissections, a leading cause of stroke in young people.

30 Jun 2026

Stopping GLP-1 treatment linked to increase in risk of major cardiovascular events

Following a rapid increase in popularity of GLP-1 drugs for diabetes and weight loss, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, approximately one in eight U.S. adults now take these medications, which also provide cardiovascular benefits.

18 Mar 2026

TBI-associated dementia risk emphasizes need for targeted fall prevention programs

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in older adults are associated with new cases of dementia, use of home care services, and admission to long-term care, according to new research published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal)

6 Oct 2025

7 of 10 states backed abortion rights. But little to change yet.

Voters backed abortion rights in seven of the 10 states where the issue appeared on ballots Tuesday — at first glance, seemingly reshaping the nation's patchwork of abortion rules.

6 Nov 2024

California’s expanded health coverage for immigrants collides with Medicaid reviews

Medi-Cal health coverage kicked in for Antonio Abundis just when the custodian needed it most.

22 Mar 2024

The balance and variety approach to navigating diet culture

With so many types of diets being promoted online and on social media, a leading dietitian says flexibility is more sustainable than a rigid diet plan.

12 Mar 2024

Woman petitions health insurer after company approves — then rejects — her infusions

When KFF Health News published an article in August about the "prior authorization hell" Sally Nix said she went through to secure approval from her insurance company for the expensive monthly infusions she needs, we thought her story had a happy ending.

4 Jan 2024

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': An encore: 3 HHS secretaries reveal what the job is really like

This week, while KFF Health News' "What the Health?" takes a break, here’s an encore of a favorite episode this year: Host and chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner leads a rare conversation with the current and two former secretaries of Health and Human Services.

5 Oct 2023

As Medicaid purge begins, ‘Staggering numbers’ of Americans lose coverage

More than 600,000 Americans have lost Medicaid coverage since pandemic protections ended on April 1. And a KFF Health News analysis of state data shows the vast majority were removed from state rolls for not completing paperwork.

1 Jun 2023

Can ingesting products with different percentages of cocoa affect muscle pain sensation?

Researchers investigated whether consuming different cocoa products in different proportions could lower pain experimentally induced by injecting hypertonic saline into the masseter muscle of healthy individuals.

26 May 2023

The abortion pill goes back to court

The fate of the abortion pill mifepristone remains in jeopardy, as an appellate court panel during a hearing this week sounded sympathetic to a lower court’s ruling that the FDA should not have approved the drug more than two decades ago.

18 May 2023

Thousands face Medicaid whiplash in South Dakota and North Carolina

Until recently, Jonathon Murray relied on Medicaid to pay for treatments for multiple health conditions, including chronic insomnia. Murray, a 20-year-old restaurant worker from the college town of Brookings, South Dakota, said that without his medication, he would stay awake for several nights in a row.

18 May 2023

How Can Virtual Reality Aid Physical Therapy?

NewsMedical spoke with Kiki Coppelmans from InMotion VR about their Corpus virtual reality platform that offers innovative rehabilitative therapy solutions.

From Corpus VR 19 Dec 2022

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Life after ‘Roe’ is … confusing

The Supreme Court's decision overturning the federal constitutional right to abortion has left confusion in its wake.

14 Jul 2022

A tale of two Medicaid expansions: Oklahoma jumps in, while Missouri lags

Temp worker James Dickerson applied for Medicaid because it will be cheaper than his current health plan. Home health aide Sharon Coleman looks forward to having coverage that will cover a hospital stay. Incoming medical student Danielle Gaddis no longer worries a trip to the doctor will leave her in debt.

3 Dec 2021

Study: Patients meeting a particular criteria need invasive procedures to treat chronic neck pain

The use of radiofrequency ablation--targeted heat from an electrical current to ease nerve pain--may be helpful for treating chronic neck pain, but only in patients meeting particular criteria, conclude evidence-based consensus guidelines, published online in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.

12 Nov 2021

Researchers receive $3.7 million grant to diagnose and treat concussion-related eye disorder

Nearly half of adolescents and young adults with lingering symptoms of concussion suffer from an eye coordination disorder that causes blurred and double vision, headaches and difficulties concentrating. There is no proven method for treating the condition when it occurs after a head injury.

24 Sep 2021

Study shows clear benefit of PolarCap for treatment of sports-related concussions

PolarCool AB (publ), a Swedish medical device company focusing on treatment of sports-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) and whiplash, today announced that it has submitted a 510(k) pre-market notification to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the PolarCap System.

11 May 2021

Shifts in care due to COVID-19 pandemic likely to drive drug expenditures in 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic heavily influenced spending on prescription drugs in the U.S. in 2020, according to the ASHP's (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists) National Trends in Prescription Drug Expenditures and Projections for 2021.

21 Apr 2021

Scientists seek Covid treatment answers in cheap, older drugs

Could a decades-old antidepressant be a secret weapon against covid? A few scientists think so, after two small studies showed that fluvoxamine, typically prescribed for obsessive-compulsive disorder, prevented serious illness in all participants who took the pills soon after developing symptoms.

29 Mar 2021