Whiplash & Degenerative Disc Disease

Acceleration Of Degenerative Disc Disease Following 

Whiplash Injuries 

“Follow-up roentgenograms taken an average of 7 years after 

injury in one series of patients without prior roentgenographic 

evidence of disc disease indicated that 39% had developed 

degenerative disc disease at one or more disc levels since 

injury.” 

There was an expected incidence of 6% degenerative change 

in the population over this period of time. 

“Thus, it appeared that the injury had started the slow process 

of disc degeneration.” 

“In another follow-up study of patients with similar injuries but 

with preexisting degenerative changes in the neck, it was 

observed that after an average of 7 years 39% had residual 

symptoms, and roentgenographic evidence of new 

degenerative change at another level occurred in 55%.” 

“Of considerable interest was the finding in both series that 

there was no statistical correlation between the development 

of degenerative changes and continued symptoms.” 

The Cervical Spine 

The Cervical Spine Research Society 

Lippincott, 1989 

Mason Hohl, MD 

Professor of Surgery/Orthopedics, UCLA Medical Center 

pg 440