I Suffer From Whiplash Injuries

Treatment for Whiplash Headache

Whiplash injuries frequently happen due to car accidents that can occur if the vehicle has been struck from the back, front, or side. Whiplash can also occur from other injuries, such as sports-related injuries, or other neck-disturbing traumas.

At the Sydney Headache and Migraine Clinic™, we have seen numerous patients from Sydney suffering from whiplash or whiplash-associated Injuries. Once treatment commences, with our expert headache clinicians, we expect a significant improvement to occur rapidly in 90% of our patients with whiplash headaches, within the first 5 treatment consultations.

Our clinicians are experts in assessing the neck and head and if we don’t think our treatment can help you, we will let you know after the initial consultation. However, our treatment can help the vast majority of whiplash patients and our medicine-free and surgery-free treatment is effective and provides long-term results. Book your appointment today!

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Understanding Symptoms of Whiplash

What is Whiplash and How Does It Feel?

Whiplash is an injury to your muscles, tendons or other soft tissues of your neck and is categorised as an energy transfer mechanism of acceleration and deceleration into the neck.

Pain from a whiplash often occurs several hours after the initial injury whereby pain, stiffness, swelling and bruising increases over the subsequent days. See below symptoms to find out more about how it feels to have whiplash.

Injuries sustained from whiplash usually result in a bony, muscular or ligamentous dysfunction typically in the cervical joints of the neck.

These injuries can cause mild to severe headaches and migraines depending on the extent of the injury. Those with this injury may result in headaches and migraines on one side of the head in a focal point, or even both sides. Symptoms can spread down to the neck, shoulders, arms and upper back.

During severe injuries, those with whiplash injuries may experience NTS (neck tongue syndrome) – this is where a significant trauma has disturbed the upper 3 cervical vertebrae to the point of possible rupture to the ligaments and dislocation or instability of the vertebrae. Those with NTS will report numbness and a tingling sensation to one half of their tongue, pain in the neck and head region.

Risk factors of developing headaches following trauma to the head and/or neck?

According to the International Headache Society, the following may contribute to the likelihood of developing headaches following trauma to the head and/or neck (such as from a whiplash injury).

• Previous history of headache
• Less severe injury to the head and/or neck
• Being female
• Presence of comorbid psychiatric disorders

The types of Whiplash Associated Headaches

Understanding Your Headache

How Do Whiplash (Motor Vehicle Accident) Injuries Cause Headaches?

Whiplash injuries can cause significant headaches and migraines. Due to the mechanism of a whiplash injury, the cervical spine is typically affected which results in a sensitised brainstem.

The brainstem, specifically the Trigemino-Cervical nucleus, receives signals from various areas of the head via the Trigeminal nerve, and the neck via the Cervical afferent nerves. Due to injury, this often causes, what is most easily explained as, confusion in the Trigemino-Cervical nucleus. This is interpreted as a “danger” to various areas of the head, and therefore causes pain in the head (usually accompanied by neck pain) in the form of a headache or migraine.

Around half of the patients who come to see us, report some form of neck injury in the past, which has precipitated their headaches and migraines. Most often, trauma to the neck such as whiplash injuries can induce many different forms of headaches and migraines such as:

These headaches often develop due to damage or irritation within the cervical spine caused by the whiplash itself. This may involve facet joint injury, strain in the neck muscles, or irritation of affected nerves that travel into the head. These factors can lead to cervicogenic headaches and other referred pain patterns – often presenting with pain at the base of the skull, stiffness, and reduced range of motion. Addressing the underlying cause of these symptoms is key to effective, long-term relief.

Organise Your Initial Assessment

About The Assessment Stage

What To Expect During The Assessment

1. Comprehensive and in-depth examination

We instigate an in-depth assessment to identify all possible related factors that could be causing your headaches or migraines. The upper cervical spine, in particular, is thoroughly examined to identify possible issues.

2. Ligamental stability and vertebral arterial tests

We undertake careful examination of neck ligaments and vertebral arteries, ensuring only the highest standards of patient safety and comfort.

3. Temporarily reproduce your headache and migraine symptoms

As a part of the treatment process, we apply gentle and selective stress to the upper cervical spine in order to reproduce headache symptoms, which subside after 20-30 seconds. This helps to identify and treat the cause of your headaches.

The types of Whiplash Associated Headaches

Understanding whiplash symptoms and associated headaches

Whiplash-related headaches often don’t occur in isolation. They are frequently accompanied by a range of other symptoms due to the strain placed on the cervical spine and surrounding soft tissues. These may include neck pain, muscle spasms, shoulder tightness, dizziness, and difficulty concentrating.

In many cases, patients report severe pain radiating from the base of the skull, often made worse by neck movement or poor posture. This nerve pain may indicate deeper involvement of the facet joints or surrounding muscle tissue, which can prolong recovery if not addressed properly.

Persistent symptoms – especially chronic pain or severe headaches following a whiplash injury – may point to whiplash associated disorders (WAD), which require careful assessment and a targeted treatment plan.

Acute headaches

Headaches of less than 3 months’ duration following a whiplash injury. These can present as dull, persistent discomfort or, in some cases, escalate into more severe pain depending on the extent of the soft tissue injuries and cervical involvement.

Persistent headaches

Headaches of more than 3 months’ duration caused by whiplash. These long-term cases are often associated with chronic neck pain, nerve irritation, or facet joint dysfunction. Persistent headaches may be more difficult to manage, particularly if the injury has triggered a cycle of inflammation, tension, and heightened sensitivity within the nervous system.

How long does it take to recover from whiplash?

Treating Whiplash Associated Headaches

Many sufferers of whiplash associated headaches in Sydney have tried multiple different treatments with mixed results.

Modern medicine moves very rapidly, and unfortunately this means that no one can keep up with all of the research. Many practitioners rely on the outdated medical model of the various forms of headaches to provide treatments to their patients.

Many standard approaches to whiplash treatment involve rest, pain medications, or muscle relaxants to help loosen tight muscles and manage pain. Others may try physical therapy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce pain and support tissue healing.

At Sydney Headache and Migraine Clinic™, we provide expert treatment of headaches and migraines. Our clinicians remain up to date with the latest research and clinical advancements, allowing us to deliver evidence-based care tailored to each patient’s unique presentation.

We begin with a comprehensive assessment of the upper cervical spine to evaluate whether a sensitised brainstem may be contributing to your symptoms. If confirmed, we initiate targeted, non-invasive treatment to safely and effectively reduce this hypersensitivity. For patients with Whiplash Associated Headache linked to brainstem dysfunction, we typically observe significant improvement and decreased pain symptoms – often within just five treatment sessions – in more than 80 to 90% of cases.

Treatment for Whiplash Headache

What is Whiplash and How Does It Feel?

Risk factors of developing headaches following trauma to the head and/or neck?

How Do Whiplash (Motor Vehicle Accident) Injuries Cause Headaches?

What To Expect During The Assessment

The types of Whiplash Associated Headaches

Understanding whiplash symptoms and associated headaches

Acute headaches

Persistent headaches

Treating Whiplash Associated Headaches

Book in your initial appointment to see an expert today