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Doesn't whiplash take a couple days to set in?
Nope, it happens immediatly. Wiplash is the sudden forward overextention and then backward overextention of the muscles in your neck. The resulting injury is immediate. However, if the incident caused excitement and anxiety, adrenalin can be released in large amounts and that can mask pain for a few hours or until the next day. It's basically body made moraphine. I've had cases of patients outside a car after a crash. They were walking around with no pain, and then later found they had a broken neck. It happens all the time, actually. I'd say about 1/4 (maybe slightly less) of all neck break patients I've had had no pain at all the day of the accident.
So, if you are in a moderate to severe accident, go to the hospital with the ambulance, even if you are in no pain. It can save you from paralysis if it's treated quicky enough.
(I work at an ambulance company and see this nearly weekly)