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Whiplash is a neck injury caused by a sudden jolt, most often in a car accident. Most people recover well. We check your neck carefully, then help you stay active and get moving again.
Whiplash happens when the head is thrown suddenly forwards and backwards, or side to side, straining the muscles, ligaments and joints of the neck. It’s most common after a car accident, but can also happen in sport or a fall.
Symptoms often start a few hours to a day after the injury. Most people improve within weeks to a few months.
Symptoms
Symptoms of whiplash
Neck pain and stiffness
Pain and difficulty moving the neck, often worse the day after the injury.
Headaches
Headaches starting at the base of the skull.
Shoulder and arm pain
Aching across the shoulders, sometimes into the arms.
Tiredness and dizziness
Some people feel tired, dizzy or find it hard to concentrate.
After an accident, get checked in A&E first if you have severe neck pain, can’t move your neck, or have numbness, weakness or tingling in your arms or legs.
Treatment options
Treatment for whiplash
Chiropractic
First appointment £70, follow-ups £50
Gentle mobilisation and soft tissue work, with exercises and advice to help you stay active as you recover.
Gentle treatment matched to your stage of recovery
Clear advice on getting back to normal activities
No GP referral needed
How it works
Your four-step journey
01
Get in touch
Book online or call us. Many of our consultations are free.
02
Assessment
We listen to your history, examine you and, where it helps, scan the area with ultrasound.
03
Your plan
We explain what we think is going on and your options, with costs, so you can decide.
04
Treatment and review
We start treatment if it’s right for you, and check your progress as you go.
The research
Staying active helps
A large UK trial of people with whiplash found that a single session of advice from a physiotherapist was as effective as a full course of physiotherapy for most people, and that advice to stay active was an important part of recovery [1]. So our focus is on clear advice and exercises, with hands-on treatment where it helps.
When to get urgent help
Don’t wait with these
Go to A&E after an accident if you have severe neck pain, difficulty moving your neck, numbness, weakness or tingling in your arms or legs, or problems with your balance, speech or vision.
Your clinicians
Meet our chiropractors
Gary Edwards
Injection Therapist and Chiropractor, Clinic Director
GCC 03996
Orit Edwards
Chiropractor
GCC 04042
Jean-Luc Lafitte
Chiropractor
GCC 00771
Registered and regulated
Google reviews
What our patients say
5.0from 150 Google reviews
Lower back pain★★★★★
I went to see Gary as I was having some lower back issues. He was very friendly and knowledgeable, explaining what the likely causes were… and he followed it up with some helpful exercises to prevent future issues, as well as practical advice.
Matt and Alice K. · 2024 · Google review
Chiropractic★★★★★
I recommend Jean Luc to everyone I meet. He adopts a holistic, whole person approach… and offers great advice for continuing the work at home. The clinic is beautiful and centrally located.
Lauren T. · 2025 · Google review
Chiropractic★★★★★
Professional, friendly and most importantly effective. What’s also nice is that I was never forced to rebook or given a ‘minimum number of sessions’ for results. It’s straightforward. Book again if it helps and you need additional support.
John C. · 2024 · Google review
Sacroiliac pain★★★★★
After the first appointment with Gary I noticed a marked improvement, and it has continued to improve with subsequent treatments. Gary’s advice on precipitating factors has been really useful and the remedial exercises he suggested are also very effective.
Paul H. · 2017 · Google review
Headaches★★★★★
I went for a consultation with Jean Luc who suggested my migraines could be caused by a problem with my neck. After several treatments to my neck, back and jaw, my headaches began to improve and become less frequent… Jean Luc is very knowledgeable and kind.
Annabelle E. · 2025 · Google review
Back and neck★★★★★
Both my wife and I have been seeing Gary Edwards… initially for acute flares of back/neck problems and now for maintenance treatment. He is extremely professional and thorough… giving us a full half hour on each visit.
ClinicVale Health Clinic, 31–33 Vale Road, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1BS
References
Lamb SE, Gates S, Williams MA, et al. Emergency department treatments and physiotherapy for acute whiplash: a pragmatic, two-step, randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2013;381(9866):546–556. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61304-X
Written by Orit Edwards, Chiropractor (GCC 04042). Last updated 15 October 2026.
