A 25-year-old female presents with neck pain and stiffness after a rear-end car collision. She reports no loss of consciousness, numbness, or weakness in her limbs. On examination, there's tenderness in the posterior neck muscles, but no neurological deficits. What is the likely diagnosis, and what are the next steps?
This patient's history and symptoms are suggestive of a whiplash injury, which involves strain of the neck muscles and ligaments due to rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck. Initial management should include reassurance, pain control with over-the-counter analgesics, and encouraging normal neck movement as tolerated. If severe pain persists, or if there are any neurological symptoms, further evaluation with imaging studies such as X-ray or MRI may be necessary.