I had a car accident two months ago. The emergency room doctor told me I had a whiplash. The CT scan of my head and neck was negative at that time. Since then I’ve had blurry vision and dizziness off and on. Should I have another CT scan?

Imaging studies don’t always show the cause of problems that last long after an injury. In the case of whiplash, chronic problems from bony or soft tissue injuries are called
whiplash-associated disorders (WAD).

Chronic muscle pain, neck pain, headaches, and vision changes have all been reported after a whiplash injury. Weakness, stiffness, numbness, and loss of memory have also been found with WAD. Imaging studies often look perfectly normal.

Check with your doctor before going through the time and expense of a CT scan. A physical exam may reveal just as much information as imaging studies currently available.