I have neck pain. I think I have whiplash.
'Colpo di frusta' = KOL-poh dee FROOS-tah. 'Collo' = KOL-loh — double 'l'.
Use with paramedics or at the hospital emergency room after a rear-end collision. Whiplash symptoms may be delayed — report pain even if mild immediately after the accident.
'Colpo di frusta' (literally 'whip strike') is the standard Italian medical term for whiplash injury (cervical sprain). Italian insurance law (IVASS regulations) recognises micro-permanent injuries (micropermanenti) as compensable even without visible damage. Always get a medical certificate (certificato medico) immediately.
Ho dolore alla nuca.
I have pain at the back of my neck.
'Nuca' = nape of the neck — be anatomically specific for medical records.
Ho difficoltà a girare la testa.
I have difficulty turning my head.
Functional limitation — important for the medical assessment.
Il dolore è comparso qualche ora dopo l'incidente.
The pain appeared a few hours after the accident.
Delayed onset is clinically significant — document it precisely.
In Italy, whiplash (colpo di frusta) claims are strictly regulated after widespread fraud. Medical certificates must be issued immediately (ideally at the A&E on the day of the accident) to be accepted by insurance companies.