As if the financial burden from a car accident isn’t enough, you can also be left with ongoing pain that can seriously diminish your quality of life. Following an extensive car accident, the first thing you should do is go to the hospital to rule out any type of head injury or internal bleeding.
Following your hospital visit, there are some aspects to consider as the car accident may have caused some underlying issues that can become worse if not treated correctly. Let’s take a look at how a chiropractor can help after a car accident.
How Does A Car Accident Affect The Body?
Most people do not realize that even an acute or minor car accident can lead to soft tissue injuries (such as muscle strains, ligaments sprains, bruising, edema, muscle/ligament tears etc.) If left untreated, this can lead to chronic arthritic issues (arthritis). Any type of trauma, no matter how big or small, takes a toll on the body.
Any time your body is jerked in a violent unexpected motion, such as the high impact of a car accident, the possibility for injury is there. During an automobile collision, the muscles, ligaments, and facet joints that help support the spine can become inflamed and irritated, causing pain. Chiropractic manipulations of the spine are used to restore mobility to joints restricted by a tissue injury. Ligaments are what help connect bones together. If these become stretched out, like a loose rubber band for example, then this leads to pain.
How Can A Chiropractor Treat Car Accident Injuries?
A soft tissue injury takes time to heal, and it is not unusual for a patient to see a chiropractor for weeks, if not months, after injury. This is because chiropractors treat their patients through conservative treatments designed to promote self-healing through rest, physical therapy, and spinal manipulations.
At Taylor Chiropractic & Wellness, we help you through the entire process. Here’s what you can expect when you visit us:
- Thorough Health Evaluation – our primary focus is to provide quality care that gets you to feeling better immediately. We will take the following steps:
- Get a thorough history of your health, pain and the car accident
- Take blood pressure and orthopedic & neurological exam
- Take x-rays (if not taken at the hospital)
- Establish treatment plan
- Insurance & Representation – we are slightly different than your average chiropractor. We understand how inconveniencing a car accident can be, especially when you’re in pain. We go the extra mile to help you contact your car insurance provider and get you appointed with the right attorney to handle any legal matters. If this is something you’ve already taken care of, not a problem – we are simply here to help if you need us.
- Implement Treatment Plan – Now that we have established a treatment plan, it’s time to implement the strategy set in place to get you feeling better. Each patient and scenario is different which is why you’ll receive a customized treatment plan just for you.
We will use a variety of different chiropractic techniques during your adjustments along with massage therapy. We have state-of-the-art equipment including a digital x-ray machine, intersegmental traction therapy, spinal decompression, flexion distraction, cervical traction, vibratory platform, and Pettibon wobble chairs.
It can take up to 48 hours to feel the full extent of soft tissue injuries so, if you aren’t experiencing pain yet doesn’t mean you won’t. Chiropractic is a non-invasive, natural treatment method that can be utilized by patients as an alternative to costly, potentially hazardous and invasive surgeries designed to alleviate similar conditions.
