When a person has been in an auto accident, the body responds by going into fight or flight mode. The adrenaline levels increase because of the fear that goes with being in an accident. In addition to this, there is also pain from injuries sustained during the crash. This leads to many people not getting treated immediately and suffering the consequences later on down the road. If you are experiencing any back pain after your car wreck, see us for chiropractic treatment as early as possible!
What is a Whiplash?
A whiplash injury is where the neck twists quickly and forcefully. This can happen when there is a sudden forward force to the head, such as in an auto accident. The spine usually bends backward at first before snapping forwards again. Sometimes this movement causes damage to some of the discs that are between your vertebrae.
What are the Common Symptoms of Whiplash?
The most common symptoms of whiplash are neck pain and stiffness, sometimes in both the upper back and lower back. The person might have difficulty turning their head from side to side or moving it up and down. They may also experience a loss of strength on one side due to injury or weakness in muscles that support the neck.
How Long Does it Take for These Symptoms to Appear?
Usually, people will start feeling some pain within minutes after getting into an auto accident. However, other symptoms like muscle weakness can be delayed by hours later because more time is needed for swelling around discs between vertebrae to develop. These could put pressure on nerves leading outwards from this area, causing damage resulting in weakening muscles used with movement such as turning the head.
How Much Pain Does it Cause?
Nerves can be injured or damaged in an auto accident, resulting in numbness and tingling sensations on that side of the body and loss of muscle strength. However, when a person has nerve irritation from the neck to the lower back due to injury, there is usually less than a one-inch difference between side-to-side movement because this area is controlled by nerves running through vertebrae bones rather than muscles such as those found in the legs, which are more flexible with a greater range of motion.
The therapist will assess these areas during treatment and build up your tolerance before progressing into exercises for stretching ligaments around spine discs where nerves reside; these stretches might not relieve symptoms if you have too much pain.
What Does Chiropractic Treatment Involve?
Chiropractic treatment will help with any injuries sustained from an auto accident by providing different types of adjustments for your body's structure-such as manipulations or gentle spinal traction. Other treatments are available in our office, including acupuncture, dry needling therapy, and electric muscle stimulation, among others!
The chiropractic treatment for auto accidents will differ depending on the injuries that are sustained. It is important to let your doctor know what type of injury you have been through and how long ago it happened to diagnose best and treat your condition. Chiropractor Dr. Paul Grindstaff can assist with any post-auto accident problems, including back pain, neck pain, headache, and numbness or tingling sensations down one arm or leg.
While injured patients may not be aware right away if they sustain any spinal damage from an automobile collision, a chiropractor will use diagnostic techniques such as x-rays, MRI's, and MUA scans which measure muscle tension levels to determine whether there has been enough trauma to the spine. Treatment for patients who had been in a car accident might consist of spinal manipulation, neck stabilization exercises, and massage therapy. ChiroRehab of Texas also offers rehabilitation services, including light exercise routines tailored to patients' needs.
These programs will provide patients with movement awareness and strength training, and simple stretching techniques that they may not have had before because their bodies were tense or strained from injury.
Auto accident treatment Dallas is an alternative to more traditional rehabilitation treatments such as physical therapy or painkillers/anti-inflammatories. While many different treatment options are available, you must get back on your feet again soon after an accident.
What to Expect From a Visit to the Chiropractor After an Auto Accident
- The chiropractor will ask you to lie down on the examination table - You should take your clothes off from the waist upwards and wear a gown if available.
- They'll observe how your spine holds its shape in different positions before taking an X-ray.
- This can be done while you're lying or sitting up. Both must be checked as there might not just be one issue going on with your spinal cord after this accident, causing discomfort. If they find anything wrong, then they'll need to make adjustments, so don't worry!
After assessing any potential accident injuries, our chiropractors in Dallas work with each patient individually using gentle manual techniques or instruments such as electric massage therapy, ice packs, and ultrasound therapy. Chiropractors are trained to work with all types of injuries and help your healing from your car crash.
The idea is for the chiropractor to be able to identify which vertebrae in your spine have been put out of alignment during an accident, and then using their hands or a special tool called an activator, they'll gently treat that area so it returns down into position.
It's important not to move around too much while this treatment is going on, as it could cause further damage if we're not careful! The aim should be to use enough force - no matter how gentle - necessary for correcting the problem without causing any more pain. It might feel uncomfortable, but our ChiroRehab of Texas chiropractors will do whatever's necessary to make sure you're back on your feet right away!
Why is it Important to get Immediate Treatment After an Auto Accident?
Many people neglect to get treatment for their accident injuries because they don't know how serious it is or believe they are not in any pain. They could be suffering from whiplash or have a pinched nerve, both of which need immediate attention. If these conditions aren't treated right away, then the effects will only worsen over time.
ChiroRehabs chiropractors want you to live your life without having to worry about managing chronic neck and back pain. Our goal is always 100% recovery. We'll do whatever's necessary to make sure you're on your feet again as soon as possible!"
Tips for Recovering From Auto Accidents Quickly and Comfortably
In recovering from an auto accident, it is recommended:
➡️To take care of yourself so you can heal quicker and more comfortably.
➡️Try not to do anything that will make your injury worse.
➡️Apply ice packs, and take medications as prescribed by a doctor.
➡️Keep moving so you don't feel the stiffness or soreness from staying still too long.
➡️To stay hydrated and keep protein levels up.
➡️To avoid driving until you are fully healed.
➡️To seek treatment from a chiropractor if there is any pain or discomfort in the neck, back, shoulders, or hips.
The Benefits of Using a Chiropractic Care Following Car Accident
Many benefits can be realized from chiropractic care after an auto accident. There are many benefits of using a chiropractor following car accidents, and they can be:
-Used to help you feel better much sooner than if no treatment was given.
- Get your body back on track for healing without relying solely upon medications or surgery.
- Ensure that the necessary treatments have been completed to lead to another problem down the road (i.e., chronic pain).
- Chiropractic care treats the cause of pain rather than just its symptoms.
- Teach you how to properly move throughout life to avoid future injuries even after an accident.
-And lastly, but most importantly is that by receiving care from a Chiropractor, you'll enjoy greater results with less risk since there will not be any medication side effects or surgical complications which could happen.
Final Thoughts
Chiropractic care is a great way to get your body back on track or feel better much sooner. It can also help you avoid future injuries. It has been shown that by receiving care from a chiropractor, patients enjoy greater results with less risk since there will not be any medication side effects or surgical complications that could happen.
Make an appointment today because, for the best chance of recovery, we need to see you as soon as possible following car accidents, and they can be easily arranged by calling our office at (214) 241-1823.
References:
https://www.healthline.com/health/whiplash#symptoms
https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/pain-management-whiplash
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/174605#how-does-it-feel