Whiplash is a common cause of injury for people involved in motor vehicle accidents. It describes the sudden, rapid movement of the head in one direction and then back again. This movement of the head places strain on the muscles, ligaments and joints of the spine and surrounding structures and may result in injury, pain or other symptoms.

For most people, neck pain is the most common indicator of a whiplash injury – also referred to as a neck strain. Neck strains are generally mild and many people recover well with minimal treatment and by staying active. For some people, a whiplash injury may result in more severe neck pain and a collection of other symptoms, which may be referred to as Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD).

Depending on the severity, symptoms may include pain and stiffness in the neck, upper back, shoulders or arms; headaches; light-headedness; difficulty concentrating; visual disturbances; difficulty swallowing; or numbness, tingling or weakness in one or both arms. The nature of the motor vehicle accident may impact the number and severity of symptoms which will vary from person to person.

Following injury, you may have an x-ray of your neck to rule out more significant injuries such as fractures or dislocations. These x-rays may often mention that no injury has been found, despite the symptoms you are experiencing, because they do not show injuries to the soft tissue structures (muscles, tendons, ligaments).

Whiplash Recovery

Studies show that many people recover well from whiplash injuries and those who are positive about their recovery and resume their usual activities (as tolerated) may recover sooner. Getting the right treatment, education and advice early on is important for your recovery and you are encouraged to engage with healthcare professionals who understand whiplash associated injuries.

My Whiplash Navigator (external site) (external site) is a helpful resource which provides information and advice about whiplash and your recovery. This is a resource that has been co-designed by researchers, health professionals, people with lived experience and Australian Government regulators.

Research shows that most people recover from a whiplash injury within a few days or weeks. In some cases, it may take several months to recover and some people will experience chronic, ongoing difficulties. For those people who develop chronic symptoms, it may be useful to learn about Chronic Pain.

Additional Resources

The following resources may help you manage your whiplash recovery but should not be used as a substitute for advice from your healthcare professional.

Whiplash recovery guide

The Whiplash Injury Recovery Guide (external site) (PDF) (external site) (PDF) is a booklet designed to help people with whiplash injuries. It provides information about whiplash and advice on managing whiplash injuries. It also has an exercise program and self-help recommendation.

The advice in this guide is based on clinical trials and research into neck injuries and on the author's extensive experience in treating whiplash associated disorders.

Whiplash treatment options

The RECOVER Injury Research Centre (external site) (external site) has developed a Whiplash Treatment Options (external site) (external site) resource which is designed to assist you with having discussions with your healthcare professionals about your treatment.