After a car accident, even if you feel fine, you may have hidden injuries. It is wise to be checked out by a chiropractor after an accident to decrease any long-term damage, especially to the musculoskeletal system and spine.
Why a Chiropractor?
While conventional doctors can help save lives and prevent serious infections, unless bones are broken, doctors will often send patients home with a prescription for pain medicine and anti-inflammatories. This does not always address the aches and pains that will persist. The next step might be to visit Accident Care Chiropractic. Chiropractors are trained to perform orthopaedic and neurological tests to assess soft tissue damage, muscle strength, structural damage, joint and nerve function, range of motion, and even hidden issues.
Even minor accidents can lead to soft tissue injuries. If these are not treated, they can turn into chronic arthritis issues. When the automobile doesn’t absorb the shock of the accident, the people inside the car do. So, anytime a body is jerked in an accident, the chance of injury exists. Even minor fender benders can lead to injury, oftentimes not noticeable right away. Half of all whiplash injuries occur in accidents where there is little to no damage.
Stiffness, soreness, backaches, neck pain, and restricted range of motion are all symptoms that are common in people who have been in car accidents. Instead of masking them with pain medication, a chiropractor can determine why they are happening and perform spinal and other joint adjustments through physical therapy.
How a Chiropractor Can Help
Mobilizing the spine through adjustments, a chiropractor can help improve the range of motion and improve the healing process. Through physical therapy, a chiropractor can reduce scar tissue. Scarred muscles can cause stiffness and soreness, but through therapy, a professional can help break down the build-up faster than if it were left on its own. This means faster healing and faster healing means less pain medication is necessary. This can be a benefit because staying on pain medication too long may lead to addiction or dependency.
Getting chiropractic care right away can help prevent small injuries from turning into more serious or chronic conditions. Spinal adjustments can help ease pain in the affected area, as well as other places throughout their body. Many patients report significant relief throughout their body following an adjustment, possibly due to the release of pain-reducing hormones.
You should also contact a chiropractor for sciatica which is also a common issue following a car accident. Sciatica is nerve pain that runs down the leg and can be caused by a sudden jolt to the body during an automobile accident. Luckily, a chiropractor can help reduce the inflammation and swelling of the affected nerve, reducing pain associated with sciatica.
How Long Will Treatment Last?
Treatment will depend on several factors, such as previous injuries, scar tissue, and the extent of the present injuries. During the first session with a chiropractor, the length and treatment goals will be set. This might include increasing the range of motion to a certain degree or improving strength in a certain part of the body. It is not uncommon for a chiropractor to see you three to five times a week in the beginning. As you improve, these sessions may be more spaced out to two to three times a week, and then eventually just once a week.
Some goals may take longer than others to reach, but don’t be discouraged. Stick with the therapy and improvement will be seen. Chiropractic physical therapy is a manual therapy treatment, and your body needs multiple treatments to train it to stay in alignment.
