Treatment of Whiplash: A Comprehensive Guide

What is Whiplash?

Whiplash is a common condition that affects people following a high velocity trauma to the head and neck.

You are probably thinking a car accident and that you are already all over this blog content.

Yes, you would be right, a car accident is one of the most common.

But you would be wrong and naïve thinking that is the only thing that causes whiplash!

So do your neck a favour and read this whole blog.

There are many other traumas, small to large, that can cause a whiplash.

Many people miss the not so common causes of whiplash and gone on to experience neck pain and whiplash symptoms months to years later.

Common causes of whiplash:

A fall onto the ground, either from your feet or a height.
A push in the back
A tackle in footy
Your kid jumping up and swinging off your head
A punch in an assault
An unsuspecting soccer or football to the head
A sudden jolt from hitting a big bump or hole while in the 4WD

Many of these can cause a mild up to severe episode of whiplash. It all depends on the velocity of movement or impact to the head and neck.

We have seen all these in the clinic. Often the above reasons and causes are to the surprise of the patient when we explain the event causing the problem they are experiencing.

Remember, any high velocity thrust event, expected or unexpected, to the head on the neck can create a whiplash.

Common signs and symptoms of a whiplash may be similar. However, always vary in intensity and duration from person to person.

Whiplash will be associated with three main complaints.

Neck Pain +/- headache
Stiffness
Loss of movement in the neck.

These symptoms can last anywhere from days in a mild presentation, to months and years in the more severe or chronic cases. They can even rear their ugly head many months or even years after the initial event and symptoms clearing!

Often a person will think they were 100% recovered, but left untreated or poorly managed, whiplash will almost always leave behind issue’s unbeknown to this person.

This is because the whiplash event changes a number of things within the nervous system:

It changes the position sense of the joints of the neck disrupting the necks awareness of where the head is in space.
It changes the firing pattern and signal from the brain to the muscles of the neck and surround areas including the shoulder and thoracic spine.
It creates weakness and atrophy (shrinking) of muscles that hold your head up and in the most optimal position in space.

This compounds like interest on your mortgage. It keeps adding up!

So here is what to do!

In mild cases, Panadol is sufficient for pain, keep the neck moving and normalise everything within 3 to 14 days. If your experience longer lasting symptoms or further pain, ensure you seek treatment HERE.

In moderate cases, you can expect more pain, more stiffness and a greater degree of loss of movement in the neck. Pain will often settle within 3 to 14 days, stiffness may last up to 6 weeks with gradual restoration of normal movement and function within 12 weeks.

Out of these moderate cases, 100% of them need addressing with a progressive form of treatment. This includes graded strength and movement based exercises to address stiffness, weakness and proprioception (joint position sense).

In addition, manual therapy at the correct stages of healing and symptoms works great. However, be warned, if you use manual therapy too early will exacerbate your condition and possibly lengthen your prognosis. So don’t expect it to make a magic fix early on!

Be aware, if you have been given an opiate form of medication (Panadiene Forte, Endone or stronger), it important that a weaning and cessation of medication occurs within 1-2 weeks of injury don’t keep on these drugs for many weeks or months. Your prognosis seriously sucks if you do!

In a severe case, a similar course of treatment is required to moderate cases, but will be much more intensive.

Symptoms may continue for anywhere from 6-12 months episodically. It is important that once symptoms ease (and they will), monitoring of strength and function should continue for 12 months to ensure long term outcomes and avoidance of chronic issues with the neck.

Big TIP! Ensure you don’t stop exercise in that 12 month period, within a few weeks, things will begin to slowly go backward and the work put in will be lost.

Brenda Samosa

05:52 07 Nov 24

I had a really bad shoulder and had been seeing a different physio for 3 months (from a different place) I got told Tyson was good. After just a few sessions the movement was coming back. I’m 66 and was worried I would have to stop surfing. But with a lot of help from Tyson I’m back in the waves ( thank you so so much)

Cyana Ferguson

08:16 30 Oct 24

Steve Harris

22:33 15 Oct 24

Great team, all friendly, super helpful and first class clinical advice and a big shout out to my Physio Noah with my shoulder issue

Andrea Bell

05:33 19 Sep 24

These guys are the best in the biz 🎉

Ryan Brockett

04:20 18 Sep 24

Shout out to Max from fighting fit physio. He helped me out massively straight after shoulder surgery and back into work and sports in no time. Couldn’t recommend anyone better!

Scotty

08:31 31 Jul 24

Five star service from Max & the team!
Professional & very thorough, you know that patient outcomes are of the highest priority.
I highly recommend this business.

Riley Wilson

08:27 14 Jul 24

Be AWARE they’ll immediately try to commit you to multiple follow up sessions after your initial consultation. This happened to me and then I later found out that as it just so happens, they have a cancellation policy that says you have to pay 100% of the consultation fee for cancelling. They failed to tell me this when they were pushy in committing me to 6 sessions after my consult, so that was a really nice little surprise.

I was already uncomfortable with how pushy they were in having me commit to so many sessions, so when I heard about the policy I just cancelled all together. So, I can’t speak further to the quality of their service throughout therapy phase. FYI this was also a few months ago now, it’s possible (though unlikely) they may have changed the policy. Just ask the question.

Megan Shelley

06:51 03 May 24

Fighting Fit Physiotherapy is hands down the best physio I've encountered. Having tried multiple physios for various injuries, I always find myself coming back to them. Their expertise consistently exceeds expectations, helping me get back to my sport faster than I thought possible. Their personalized approach and attention to detail make all the difference. I could not recommend a better or more exceptional physio team!

Gina Matthews

08:41 24 Mar 23

Can't recommend this place high enough. I was in so much pain with my knee an had been for months through advise an exercises I'm now looking forward to returning to gym an back riding my horses in endurance thank you so much

Courtney Halse

01:36 29 Nov 22

Kyle was knowledgeable, personable and professional. He saw me through my second pregnancy and continued to work with me until 6 months post partum on issues with my back. Would recommend anyone to go and see him.

Also shout out to Georgia on the front desk. She makes you feel welcome and brings a sense of warmth to the place!

Alli Davenport

08:07 04 Nov 22

After hip replacement surgery in February I wanted toget back into weight training legs, I started with Mitch 18 weeks ago and after a lot of hard work and sweat I am able to safely train again, I cannot thank Mitch enough for his support,encouragement and knowledge. The staff are friendly and helpful and I always looked forward to my session's

Robert Parkinson

10:50 15 Aug 22

This is the second time I have been treated by the team at FFP.
As a health professional myself I have been impressed with the level of care I have received from all members of the team.
The personalised treatment and rehabilitation programs have produced excellent results and I have completed both programs pain free and feeling stronger than before my injuries.
During the program there was constant communication and follow up and they were very accommodating with my work schedule.
All in all it was a very holistic experience and I would highly recommend the service.

Kiri Canavan

07:30 08 Jun 22

Tyson was amazing! We came up with an 8 week plan at my first consultation with weekly check ins and updates to exercises. 8 weeks later, I am pain free and able to train harder than ever. Highly recommend and the staff are all fantastic and super accomodating!

How To Treat Whiplash!

What is Whiplash?

Whiplash is a common condition that affects people following a high velocity trauma to the head and neck.

There are many other traumas, small to large, that can cause a whiplash.

Many people miss the not so common causes of whiplash and gone on to experience neck pain and whiplash symptoms months to years later.

Whiplash will be associated with three main complaints.

So here is what to do!

In a severe case, a similar course of treatment is required to moderate cases, but will be much more intensive.

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