[Clinical symptoms of equilibrium disorders in patients with whiplash syndrome]

There are many entities that cause equilibrium disorders. Whiplash syndrome is becoming an important entity as a trigger of equilibrium disorders because of an increase in traffic accidents. There are many hypotheses on the generation of vertigo and dizziness in whiplash syndrome. The objective of this study is to describe and analyze the clinical symptoms of patients who suffered whiplash.

Thirty six patients with equilibrium disorders who suffered whiplash syndrome were studied prospectively. None of these subjects had cranial trauma or a history of vestibular pathology prior to the traffic accident. We conducted an exhaustive anamnesis, videonystagmography and cervical magnetic resonance. Patients were classified by type of equilibrium symptom and degree of cervical lesion.

55.5 % of patients had a sensation of dizziness associated with postural and cephalic movements, 38.8 % had disequilibrium continuously, and 16.7 % (6 cases) had vertigo. Three of this last group had a diagnosis compatible with benign positional vertigo but this diagnosis was confirmed in only 2 patients; two patients had labyrinth commotion and one patient had vertigo of unknown origin.

In patients with whiplash, the most frequent equilibrium symptom is the sensation of fleeting dizziness associated with head movements, while only a small group suffer from vertigo. Although vestibular tests are normal in most patients, we cannot rule out the existence of otolithic lesions.