Whiplash is the injury that follows the head being thrown rapidly back and forth — usually a motor vehicle accident, sometimes a sporting collision or a heavy fall. Symptoms frequently do not peak until a day or two afterwards, which catches people out and delays treatment. Early guided movement gives the best outcomes; resting the neck in a collar is no longer the advice.

Does this sound like you?

Most people have several of these, not all of them.

Neck pain and stiffness arriving hours to days after the incident, not immediately
Headache, usually starting at the base of the skull
Pain spreading into the shoulders and upper back
Dizziness, unsteadiness or visual disturbance
Poor sleep, difficulty concentrating and irritability through the early weeks
Jaw pain, which is common after whiplash and often missed

Why it happens

Rear-end and side-impact collisions, including at low speed
Contact sport tackles and heavy falls
Any sudden force taking the head beyond its normal range
Being unprepared for the impact, which allows more movement before the muscles react

What we would do about it

Roughly in this order — each step waits for the one before it.

Assessment first, to rule out anything requiring urgent attention
Gentle range of movement started early rather than immobilising the neck
Manual therapy to the joints and muscles once they tolerate it
Deep neck flexor retraining, reliably affected after a whiplash injury
Balance and eye-movement retraining where dizziness is part of the picture
A staged return to work, driving and sport with realistic timeframes
Documentation and progress reporting where a CTP insurance claim requires it

See a doctor first if

Your pain followed a significant injury
It is getting worse rather than settling
It comes with numbness, weakness or unexplained weight loss

This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Symptoms overlap between conditions, so the right treatment depends on an assessment.

After an accident, earlier assessment means a shorter recovery

If you have been in a collision — even a minor one — get the neck looked at before symptoms settle in. We can start treatment straight away and handle the reporting your insurer needs.

Book a whiplash assessment Ask a question first

Or call us on 0403 907 587 — we see patients across Seaton.

Other neck conditions we treat

Cervical Radiculopathy Cervical Osteoarthritis Cervicogenic Headache Wry Neck Postural Neck Pain

Back to all neck conditions

General information only, not advice about your own problem — nothing here replaces an assessment. Source: Whiplash Associated Disorders on Physiopedia.

Whiplash