Part 3: Neurological Whiplash Symptoms – Sensory Disturbances Explained

Welcome to part three of our Whiplash Recovery Series. In this section, we’re exploring a complex but crucial topic: sensory disturbances and the often-overlooked neurological whiplash symptoms.

Many people associate whiplash with neck pain or headaches, but what’s often missed are the subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) changes in our sensory system that occur when the brain and nervous system are shaken by trauma. As a practitioner focused on neurological recovery, I see these neurological whiplash symptoms often, and they are a key piece of the recovery puzzle.

These symptoms can be very distressing and tend to build on themselves if left unaddressed.

The sensory system gets overwhelmed after whiplash

What Is the Sensory System?

The sensory system is far more advanced than just taste, smell, or hearing. It plays a major role in how we move, balance, and interact with our environment. The brain’s sensory regions are responsible for:

• Detecting different types of touch (light vs. deep pressure)

• Coordinating head and eye movements

• Maintaining spatial awareness (so you don’t have to watch your feet while walking)

• Processing signals from muscles and joints about your body’s position in space

This system is always working in the background. But when it is disrupted after an injury, the resulting neurological whiplash symptoms can be confusing. If your nervous system were a computer, it’s now running a bit slower than usual.

Common Sensory and Neurological Whiplash Symptoms

1. Visual Disturbances Visual changes can appear immediately or develop over time. These may include flashes of light, "visual static," or sensitivity to light. These symptoms suggest dysregulation in the brain’s visual processing centres, particularly in areas responsible for motion tracking.

2. Dizziness and Body Misperception There’s a difference between vertigo (the room spinning) and body misperception (feeling like you are floating or on a boat). Both are common neurological whiplash symptoms that point to dysfunction in the vestibular system or the way your brain integrates sensory input.

3. Tinnitus (Ringing or Fullness in the Ears) Tinnitus is surprisingly common. The auditory system is highly sensitive to the pressure and neurological stress that occurs during a whiplash event. Noting which ear is affected helps your provider map out which parts of the brainstem may be involved.

4. Tingling, Heaviness, and Sensory “Noise” Subtle symptoms like tingling in the face, a sensation of heaviness in the limbs, or transient muscle weakness often indicate that the brain is struggling to filter sensory signals correctly—much like static on a radio station.

So, What’s Really Happening?

These symptoms are not random. They are your nervous system’s alarm signals. Your sensory system is essentially in overdrive, working overtime to make sense of altered input. This is why neurological whiplash symptoms can feel so strange or disconnected from the neck itself.

The good news? The brain can re-wire. With the right evaluation and a neurologically informed rehab approach, these disturbances can improve significantly.

What You Can Do

If you’re experiencing these types of neurological whiplash symptoms, take them seriously:

• Track them: Write down what you feel and what triggers the sensation.

• Be specific: Nothing is "unrelated." The more detail you provide, the better we can localize the problem.

• Seek integrative care: Find a provider who understands the brain-body connection, not just the musculoskeletal side.

Final Thought Your brain is constantly communicating with you. After an injury, those messages may come through distorted—as light flashes, ringing ears, or balance issues. But with the right support, these signals can guide us toward a full recovery.

More about Dr. Thomas Jarka, DC