• Ottar Sjaastad, Torbjørn Fredriksen, and Leiv Bakketeig.
• Department of Neurology, St. Olavs Hospital, Olav Kyrres Gate 17, 7006 Trondheim, Norway. ellhed@online.no
• Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2009 Feb 1; 13 (1): 52-8.

AbstractMethodology varies greatly in whiplash studies; therefore, results are not directly comparable. Headache seems to be present in 50% to more than 75% of cases in the acute stage, and in 20% to 30% of cases in the early chronic stage. Headache naturally occurs frequently (> 75% of the cases ) in patients who consult headache specialists due to protracted symptoms. Malingering may explain some cases, and continuation/activation of prewhiplash headache may explain other cases. De novo headache also seems to occur. This headache may partly have cervicogenic headache characteristics: side-locked unilaterality and occipital onset. In one study, this type of headache was present in 8% at 6 weeks and 1% at 6 years. It was more rare than postwhiplash, unspecified headache. De novo postwhiplash headache may consist of cervicogenic headache and of noncervicogenic headache (probably in the acute phase).

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