If you’ve recently been in an accident, you could have ongoing pain. Could massage help? What type of massage is best for whiplash, and what whiplash massage techniques work best? Here’s what you should know.

What Is Whiplash?

Whiplash occurs when a severe blow results in a rapid back-and-forth movement of your neck, similar to cracking a whip. It often occurs from rear-end collisions but can happen as a result of any type of trauma, including a fall, physical abuse or worksite accident. Such sudden movements can tear muscles and connective tissues, resulting in inflammation and discomfort, which can be mild or severe. 

What Are the Symptoms of Whiplash? 

The symptoms of whiplash include:

• Limited ability to move neck and pain with movement 
• Headaches
• Pain or tingling in the arms, shoulders or upper back
• Pain and stiffness in the neck 
• Blurred vision, ringing in the ears, dizziness and fatigue 
• Sleep disturbances despite tiredness
• Mood changes, depression and difficulty concentrating 

Whiplash can clear up on its own, often subsiding in two to three months, even without professional treatment. However, you should seek medical care after an accident to rule out broken bones, internal bleeding or other injuries that could worsen if left unattended.

Additionally, you should seek help if symptoms persist despite treatment. Temporary neck braces to prevent unnecessary movement can help, as can physical therapy and medications. Adding massage into the mix may also speed up your recovery time.

The Various Types of Massage

Massage comes in various forms, making it tough to list them all. However, some of the most well-known varieties include:

• Swedish
• Shiatsu
• Thai 
• Reflexology
• Craniosacral therapy
• Deep tissue 

Some practitioners use additional tools like hot stones or aromatherapy to enhance the overall experience. What’s great about massage for whiplash, though, is you don’t have to book a 60 to 90-minute session at a spa. Many times, chair massage — which is more widely available in locations like gyms and shopping centers — also works.

What Type of Massage Is Best for Whiplash?

There’s no one type of massage that is best for whiplash, although performing it in a chair increases accessibility. Any form of this practice directs blood, oxygen and nutrients toward the area, breaking up congested spots to facilitate faster healing.

It helps to know the different types of strokes massage therapists use when performing massages. These include:

• Effleurage — or the light touch practitioners often use to begin the massage experience
• Vibration includes giving certain body parts a gentle shake
• Friction uses only the fingers and thumb to massage a small area
• Petrissage, which consists of kneading, wringing, rolling and lifting
• Tapotement means gently tapping or hammering with your fists or a special device intended for massage therapy 

Most of the above strokes are fine to use as whiplash massage techniques. The one you might want to skip is vibration — additional shaking could exacerbate existing tissue injuries.

Are There Any Types of Massage to Avoid With a Whiplash Injury? 

Most types of massage are appropriate when you have a whiplash injury, with one caveat — you must communicate with your therapist. For example, Thai massage incorporates physical manipulation that can feel uncomfortable and may worsen existing injuries they don’t know about. Inform  your therapist that you have whiplash — doing so allows them to customize your treatment.

4 Whiplash Massage Techniques 

The following whiplash massage techniques can help you ease pain and discomfort while you recover from your injury. There are options for everyone, regardless of your financial situation.

1. Add Some Heat 

Applying heat to the injured area before you begin your massage directs blood flow to the location. Additionally, it can start to relax tight muscles that may spasm to protect your neck from further injury. You can use hot stones wrapped in a towel and tied at either end or a therapeutic neck heat wrap.

2. Start With a Gentle Touch

Most types of massage begin with effleurage — or gentle strokes designed to relax your muscles and make it easier to dig into deeper work. Emulate this approach in your at-home massage with your partner or a massage device on one of the lowest settings.

3. Incorporate Stretching or Yoga 

You aren’t going to do an active flow like Ashtanga or Vinyasa. Instead, you’ll incorporate passive, Yin-style restorative stretches. For example, thread-the-needle is excellent for relieving tension around the upper back and shoulders. You can also have your partner assist you with the stretch, similar to a Thai-style massage.

What’s nice is you can use the above three techniques anytime and nearly anywhere. Take a heating pad with you to the office. When you feel your neck start to ache, place it on your neck. Alternatively, drop your chin toward your chest and gently roll either ear toward either shoulder without going past the joint. Doing so provides a gentle neck stretch, especially if you extend the arm opposite the direction of your nose.

4. Long, Slow Applied Pressure 

Break up knots and spasming areas by applying long, slow and consistent deep pressure. For example, you might pinch a section of muscle between your neck and shoulders between your thumb and first two or three fingers or press your fist into a tight spot. If working with a partner, communication is key — let the other person know how much or how little pressure you need.

Using Massage for Whiplash

A whiplash injury is a soft tissue injury of the neck that can lead to considerable discomfort. Why suffer unnecessarily when massage can help? Invest in the right at-home tools and communicate with your therapist or partner for pain relief that lets you focus and get back to the business of life.