{
  "schema_version": 1,
  "kind": "condition",
  "id": "whiplash-injury-of-neck",
  "name": "Whiplash injury of the neck",
  "category": "acute",
  "sources": "Ibuprofen 100 mg/5 ml SmPC section 4.2 (eMC product 4560) · MSF Essential Drugs 2024 - paracetamol (oral) · Cervical Sprain - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - disease-level clinical article (whiplash-injury-of-neck-full.txt) · Lehman A, Margetis K. Cervical Sprain. [Updated 2026 Apr 12]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2026 Jan-. Bookshelf ID: NBK541016. PMID: 31082060.",
  "review_status": "reviewed",
  "verified_against": "MSF Essential Drugs 2024 - paracetamol (oral) · SmPC section 4.2, https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/4560/smpc · No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care · Cervical Sprain - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - disease-level clinical article (whiplash-injury-of-neck-full.txt)",
  "verified_date": "2026-08",
  "treatments": [
    {
      "id": 1970,
      "generic": "Paracetamol",
      "line": 1,
      "is_adjunct": false,
      "form": "oral.solid",
      "strength_mg": 500.0,
      "adult_dose": "1 g three or four times daily, maximum 4 g in 24 hours",
      "adult_duration": "As needed for pain or fever",
      "dose_source": "MSF Essential Drugs 2024 - paracetamol (oral)",
      "rationale": "Standard first-line analgesic dose for the musculoskeletal pain of whiplash; unrelated to any specific tissue diagnosis.",
      "cautions": [
        "Neurological deficit, midline cervical spine tenderness, suspicion of fracture or dislocation, features suggesting cervical spine instability.",
        "First-line analgesic for whiplash neck pain; encourage early gentle movement rather than a rigid collar.",
        "Do not exceed 4 g in 24 hours; caution in liver impairment.",
        "Refer urgently if there is neurological deficit, midline cervical tenderness, or any suspicion of fracture/instability."
      ],
      "peds_mgkg_low": 15.0,
      "peds_mgkg_high": 15.0,
      "peds_max_mg": 500.0,
      "peds_basis": "dose",
      "peds_unit": "mg",
      "peds_note": "Child 1 month and over: 15 mg/kg per dose, 3 or 4 times daily, maximum 60 mg/kg daily. Child under 1 month: 10 mg/kg per dose, 3 or 4 times daily, maximum 40 mg/kg daily. MSF's own weight table gives one 500 mg tablet three times daily from 30 kg to under 50 kg, so 500 mg is the per-dose ceiling; the 60 mg/kg daily total still applies.",
      "peds_min_weight_kg": null,
      "peds_max_weight_kg": null,
      "peds_age_min_months": null,
      "peds_age_max_months": null,
      "peds_age_bands": null,
      "peds_doses": [
        {
          "weight_kg": 10,
          "low_mg": 150,
          "high_mg": 150,
          "capped": false
        },
        {
          "weight_kg": 20,
          "low_mg": 300,
          "high_mg": 300,
          "capped": false
        },
        {
          "weight_kg": 30,
          "low_mg": 450,
          "high_mg": 450,
          "capped": false
        },
        {
          "weight_kg": 40,
          "low_mg": 500,
          "high_mg": 500,
          "capped": true
        }
      ],
      "brands": [
        {
          "trade_name": "FEBRIMOL 500 MG 20 TAB.",
          "scientific_name": null,
          "normalized_ingredient": null,
          "manufacturer": "PHARCO",
          "price_egp": 3.5,
          "pack_count": 20,
          "unit_price": 0.17,
          "strength_mg": 500.0,
          "exact_strength": true,
          "exact_form": true,
          "discontinued": false,
          "also_contains": null
        },
        {
          "trade_name": "CETAMOL 500 MG 20 TABS.",
          "scientific_name": null,
          "normalized_ingredient": null,
          "manufacturer": "MEMPHIS",
          "price_egp": 8.0,
          "pack_count": 20,
          "unit_price": 0.4,
          "strength_mg": 500.0,
          "exact_strength": true,
          "exact_form": true,
          "discontinued": false,
          "also_contains": null
        },
        {
          "trade_name": "PARACETAMOL-MUP 500MG B.P. 20 TABS.",
          "scientific_name": null,
          "normalized_ingredient": null,
          "manufacturer": "MUP",
          "price_egp": 13.0,
          "pack_count": 20,
          "unit_price": 0.65,
          "strength_mg": 500.0,
          "exact_strength": true,
          "exact_form": true,
          "discontinued": false,
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        },
        {
          "trade_name": "CETAL 500 MG 20 TABS.",
          "scientific_name": null,
          "normalized_ingredient": null,
          "manufacturer": "EIPICO",
          "price_egp": 24.0,
          "pack_count": 20,
          "unit_price": 1.2,
          "strength_mg": 500.0,
          "exact_strength": true,
          "exact_form": true,
          "discontinued": false,
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        },
        {
          "trade_name": "ARKADOLOW 500 MG 30 F.C. TABS.",
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          "manufacturer": "UTOPIA",
          "price_egp": 42.0,
          "pack_count": 30,
          "unit_price": 1.4,
          "strength_mg": 500.0,
          "exact_strength": true,
          "exact_form": true,
          "discontinued": false,
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        },
        {
          "trade_name": "PARAMOL 500MG 20 TAB.",
          "scientific_name": null,
          "normalized_ingredient": null,
          "manufacturer": "MISR",
          "price_egp": 38.0,
          "pack_count": 20,
          "unit_price": 1.9,
          "strength_mg": 500.0,
          "exact_strength": true,
          "exact_form": true,
          "discontinued": false,
          "also_contains": null
        },
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          "trade_name": "ADOL 500MG 24 CAPLETS",
          "scientific_name": null,
          "normalized_ingredient": null,
          "manufacturer": "JULPHAR",
          "price_egp": 32.0,
          "pack_count": null,
          "unit_price": null,
          "strength_mg": 500.0,
          "exact_strength": true,
          "exact_form": true,
          "discontinued": false,
          "also_contains": null
        },
        {
          "trade_name": "AUGICETAMIDE 500 MG 20 SACHETS",
          "scientific_name": null,
          "normalized_ingredient": null,
          "manufacturer": "AUG PHARMA",
          "price_egp": 50.0,
          "pack_count": null,
          "unit_price": null,
          "strength_mg": 500.0,
          "exact_strength": true,
          "exact_form": true,
          "discontinued": false,
          "also_contains": null
        },
        {
          "trade_name": "FEBRIMOL ORAL DROPS 20 ML",
          "scientific_name": null,
          "normalized_ingredient": null,
          "manufacturer": "PHARCO",
          "price_egp": 4.0,
          "pack_count": null,
          "unit_price": null,
          "strength_mg": null,
          "exact_strength": false,
          "exact_form": false,
          "discontinued": false,
          "also_contains": null
        },
        {
          "trade_name": "THERA-LO 3.2G/100ML ORAL SUSP. 100 ML",
          "scientific_name": null,
          "normalized_ingredient": null,
          "manufacturer": "PHAROPHARMA",
          "price_egp": 5.0,
          "pack_count": null,
          "unit_price": null,
          "strength_mg": 3200.0,
          "exact_strength": false,
          "exact_form": false,
          "discontinued": false,
          "also_contains": null
        }
      ],
      "condition_id": "whiplash-injury-of-neck"
    },
    {
      "id": 1972,
      "generic": "Referral & safety-netting (no drug therapy)",
      "line": 1,
      "is_adjunct": false,
      "form": null,
      "strength_mg": null,
      "adult_dose": null,
      "adult_duration": null,
      "dose_source": "No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care",
      "rationale": "Carries the referral criteria and warning signs for this condition, which apply whichever treatment is chosen.",
      "cautions": [
        "RED FLAG - The NEXUS and CCR criteria for urgent imaging or referral are focal neurologic deficits, age >65, dangerous mechanism, midline tenderness, paresthesias, and altered mental status.",
        "A distracting injury or intoxication makes clinical clearance of the cervical spine unsafe - the neck cannot be cleared on examination alone until the patient is alert and cooperative.",
        "Focal posterior-circulation symptoms, cranial nerve signs or a high-risk fracture pattern raise the possibility of blunt cerebrovascular injury (carotid or vertebral artery dissection) and require vascular imaging, not reassurance.",
        "Neck pain that appears without a clear injury, or long after one, should be worked up for malignancy, infection, inflammation or vascular disease rather than treated as a sprain.",
        "Refer for surgical opinion if there is fracture-dislocation, unstable ligament disruption, a traumatic disc herniation with persistent or progressive radiculopathy, cord compression with myelopathy, craniocervical instability, or neurological deterioration despite conservative care.",
        "Muscle relaxants are widely prescribed for this injury but the evidence supporting them is limited.",
        "A patient still substantially disabled at 6 to 12 weeks is not merely healing slowly - this marks high risk of prolonged symptoms and calls for a change of approach rather than more waiting.",
        "Cervical precautions can be stopped without imaging only in an awake, alert patient with no midline tenderness, no neurological deficit and no pain on active movement of the neck."
      ],
      "peds_mgkg_low": null,
      "peds_mgkg_high": null,
      "peds_max_mg": null,
      "peds_basis": null,
      "peds_unit": null,
      "peds_note": null,
      "peds_min_weight_kg": null,
      "peds_max_weight_kg": null,
      "peds_age_min_months": null,
      "peds_age_max_months": null,
      "peds_age_bands": null,
      "peds_doses": null,
      "brands": [],
      "condition_id": "whiplash-injury-of-neck"
    },
    {
      "id": 1971,
      "generic": "Ibuprofen",
      "line": 2,
      "is_adjunct": false,
      "form": "oral.solid",
      "strength_mg": 400.0,
      "adult_dose": "200-400 mg PO Q6-8H PRN, max 1200 mg/day.",
      "adult_duration": null,
      "dose_source": "SmPC section 4.2, https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/4560/smpc",
      "rationale": "Standard analgesic-strength NSAID dose for whiplash pain; the much higher anti-inflammatory regimen used for genuine inflammatory disease is unnecessary for a soft-tissue sprain.",
      "cautions": [
        "Add to or use instead of paracetamol for inadequate pain relief; take with or after food.",
        "Avoid in NSAID-exacerbated asthma, active peptic ulcer disease, dehydration/renal impairment, or pregnancy.",
        "Reassess if pain is not settling over 1-2 weeks, or sooner if red flags develop."
      ],
      "peds_mgkg_low": null,
      "peds_mgkg_high": null,
      "peds_max_mg": null,
      "peds_basis": null,
      "peds_unit": null,
      "peds_note": "For pain and fever 20 mg/kg/day in divided doses (including OTC use).",
      "peds_min_weight_kg": null,
      "peds_max_weight_kg": null,
      "peds_age_min_months": null,
      "peds_age_max_months": null,
      "peds_age_bands": null,
      "peds_doses": null,
      "brands": [
        {
          "trade_name": "DAJUANOFEN 400 MG 20 F.C. TABS.",
          "scientific_name": null,
          "normalized_ingredient": null,
          "manufacturer": "COPAD PHARMA",
          "price_egp": 5.0,
          "pack_count": 20,
          "unit_price": 0.25,
          "strength_mg": 400.0,
          "exact_strength": true,
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          "discontinued": false,
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        },
        {
          "trade_name": "FLABU 400MG 10 F.C.TAB.",
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          "manufacturer": "DELTA PHARMA",
          "price_egp": 3.75,
          "pack_count": 10,
          "unit_price": 0.38,
          "strength_mg": 400.0,
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        },
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          "trade_name": "NOVA-PROFEN 400MG 30 F.C. TABLETS",
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          "manufacturer": "SANOFI",
          "price_egp": 12.75,
          "pack_count": 30,
          "unit_price": 0.42,
          "strength_mg": 400.0,
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          "trade_name": "IBUPROFEN 400 MG 10 TAB.",
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          "manufacturer": "SEDICO",
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          "trade_name": "MAFO 400 MG  30 F.C.TABS",
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          "trade_name": "BRUFEN 400 MG 30 TABS.",
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          "manufacturer": "KAHIRA > ABBOTT LABORATORIES",
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          "trade_name": "PROFUSOL 400MG 20 S.G CAPS.",
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          "manufacturer": "EVA PHARMA",
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        {
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          "trade_name": "BRUFEMOL-N SUSP. 60 ML",
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          "manufacturer": "ARAB DRUG COMPANY (ADCO)",
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}