What is whiplash?
Whiplash is a neck strain caused by the head being thrown forward and back quickly. The muscles and ligaments of the neck are stretched beyond their normal range, and sometimes the small joints are irritated too.
It is best known from car crashes, such as a bump from behind at a traffic light on Jalan Sultan Idris Shah. A fall, a sports collision or a sudden stop on a motorbike can do the same.
Most whiplash is a soft tissue injury, not a broken bone. Even so, it deserves a proper check first, because bone and nerve injuries need to be ruled out.
What does it feel like, and when does it start?
The usual picture is pain and stiffness in the neck, along with tight shoulders and upper back. Turning the head can feel limited, and the pain may spread to the base of the skull as a headache.
Some people also feel dizzy, tired, unable to concentrate or sleep poorly. These symptoms are common in the first days and are a reason to be checked, not a reason to panic.
Symptoms may not appear for a day or two. If you were in an accident and feel fine, watch for changes over the next few days.
What should I do in the first days?
See a doctor or go to an emergency department after any significant accident, especially if you hit your head, felt dizzy or have numbness. In Ipoh that could be the emergency departments of Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun, Fatimah Hospital or Pantai Hospital Ipoh.
Once you are cleared, keep moving gently. Short walks, easy neck turns within comfort and good sleeping positions help more than lying still all day. Our guide on resting or moving after an injury explains why.
Keep the papers from the hospital and any receipts together in one folder. They help your doctor and insurer.
Who is helped most by physiotherapy?
Anyone whose neck is still sore or stiff after the first few days, or whose pain affects work, driving or sleep. It also suits people who feel nervous about moving their neck after the accident and want guidance.
If the pain is getting worse, travels down an arm, or comes with new weakness, we tell you and help you see a doctor first. See our page on neck pain for the wider picture.
What do we check and treat?
We hear the story of the accident, then look at how you move.
- How far your neck turns, tilts, bends and extends, and which movements are sore.
- Tight or tender muscles in the neck, shoulders and upper back.
- Strength and feeling in the arms, to check for nerve irritation.
- Balance and eye-head movements if you feel dizzy.
- Sleeping, driving and working positions.
Treatment combines gentle hands-on work, graded neck movement, strengthening and advice. We pace it so you feel better the next day, not worse.
What can I do this week?
Keep to small, steady steps.
- Move the neck gently in every direction, a few times each hour while awake.
- Sleep with a single supportive pillow and avoid lying on your stomach.
- Apply a warm towel for ten minutes to loosen tight muscles.
- Check your mirrors before driving and take breaks on long trips.
- Walk for short spells each day, and build up as it eases.
Do not drive if you cannot turn your head enough to check traffic. Ask someone to drive you until the neck eases.
When should I see a doctor again?
Return to the doctor if pain is getting worse, if you have a severe headache, vomiting, new arm or leg weakness, numbness, trouble speaking or confusion.
Go to the emergency department at once for sudden severe pain, loss of bladder or bowel control, or any chest pain or breathlessness. Our page on when to seek medical care lists more.
How does a home visit in Ipoh work?
You message us on WhatsApp with the date of the accident, what the doctor said and your area of Ipoh. We reply with how a visit would run and a quote.
At the visit we assess, treat and teach in the same session, and look at your own bed, chair and car seat. If you are not yet comfortable driving, a home visit saves a trip.
Read about home physiotherapy in Ipoh, or our guide to neck pain and dizziness. Our Canning Garden centre, near Fatimah Hospital, is opening soon.
Questions people ask
The questions below come up most. If yours is missing, send it on WhatsApp and we will answer directly.