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Chiropractic Care for Auto Accidents
An auto accident can disrupt your life – in more ways than one. While you certainly don’t want to incur damage to your vehicle, you definitely don’t want to sustain any injuries. Unfortunately, car accident injuries are quite common. Even a minor fender bender can mean pain that keeps you up at night and impacts your mobility. Chiropractic care is a safe, non-invasive treatment for these common auto accident injuries.
Do You Need Chiropractic Care After an Auto Accident?
Many people don’t realize that it is possible to experience few or no symptoms after a car accident. In fact, you may not feel anything for up to 72 hours post wreck. It is in your best interest to see a chiropractor very soon after your accident – before any severe symptoms present.
- Whiplash: Neck pain and stiffness are often associated with car crashes and whiplash is usually the culprit. It occurs when the impact of the crash causes the head to jerk back and forth. It involves the cervical spine (neck area) and shoulders as tension is put on the vertebrae as well as the muscles and tendons in that area. If left untreated, the pain can become chronic.
- Sciatica: The path of the sciatic nerve runs from the lower back, through each side of the buttocks and down each leg. Sciatica occurs when that nerve is pinched. It can cause tingling, numbness, weakness, and pain, usually on one side. You might feel these sensations in your lower back and down one leg. Chiropractic is a very effective treatment for sciatica.
- Joint Injuries: Joint injuries can occur when you try to brace yourself against the impact of an auto accident. You might hit your knees on the dash or your wrists on the steering wheel or stick shift. Wrists, elbows, knees, ankles, and hips can sustain injuries or become inflamed due to tension, strain, or impact. These types of injuries can cause a loss of mobility, making movement difficult and painful.
- Migraine and Headache: Many different injuries caused by auto accidents can result in migraines and headaches. Migraine is a chronic condition that can result from a head injury or whiplash. Chronic headaches and tension headaches can also become a problem due to stiffness in the muscles of the neck and shoulders. Chiropractic can effectively treat both of these conditions with great success.
- Back Pain: The lumbar spine (lower back) is a common point of stress in an auto accident, although the thoracic spine (middle back) can also be affected. Sometimes, just the trauma of impact will cause pain due to a spinal misalignment. Other times though, there are injuries directly to the back, such as herniated discs, that cause problems.