Whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) occur when the head and neck are rapidly forced forward and backward, most commonly during motor vehicle collisions, but also from sports injuries, falls, or sudden trauma. Even low-speed injuries can strain muscles, ligaments, nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissues throughout the head and neck. Symptoms may include neck pain, headaches, dizziness, numbness or tingling, sleep disruption, or concussion-like symptoms, and often persist despite normal imaging.

At The Essential Healing Center, we take a gentle, whole-body approach to whiplash recovery once serious injury has been ruled out. Rather than focusing only on the neck, we assess how the nervous system, connective tissues, circulation, and surrounding regions have adapted to the trauma. Hands-on osteopathic care is directed toward reducing protective tension, supporting inflammation drainage and circulation, and restoring healthy tissue mobility—helping create a calmer internal environment that supports healing, improved movement, and reduced symptoms over time.