Being involved in a car accident is a very terrifying and dreadful experience for any person. The trauma incurred is both physical and emotional. Fortunately, every car accident is not a major one and the resulting auto accident injuries are not life endangering. However, it is important to note that even in minimal impact auto accidents there can be visible or hidden injuries in need of attention.
Chiropractors play a vital role in managing auto accident injuries. After excluding any major injury that might require emergency medical care, there are several head, neck and back injuries, in which chiropractic help could be of immense value.
Firstly, it’s important to recognize that all auto accident injuries are not very obvious and they might cause pain and other problems in subsequent weeks or even months after the car accident. In this situation, a chiropractor can examine and diagnose these hidden injuries with the help of static or motion palpation and other diagnostic tests like x-rays. After analyzing the extent of your soft tissue injuries, neck/ back or whiplash injuries, chiropractor can help you treat these injuries as well as any muscular stiffness associated with these injuries. Therefore, it is advisable to see your Centreville car accident chiropractor as soon as possible after sustaining auto accident injuries and get a treatment plan, especially because you don’t want to lose insurance coverage rights for your auto accident injuries.
Secondly, there are many auto accident injuries which if left untreated can convert from an acute injury to chronic injury resulting in pain and restricted movements. These are injuries such as subluxations, herniated discs or strained tissues. Your Centreville Chiropractor can develop a custom-made management plan including chiropractic adjustments and at times deep tissue massages or trigger point therapy, so as to restore spine health as well as of the surrounding tissues and muscles and ensure optimal mobility presently and in coming years.
Thirdly, in traditional medicine usually pain medicines are the first line of treatment in sprains or strains sustained in auto accident injuries. Commonly used pain medications usually have many side-effects, commonly being gastric upset, heart burn, nausea, bloating etc.. Some side effects are significantly damaging especially for patients with stomach ulcers or liver problems. Furthermore, pain medications only improve the symptom of pain while the underlying injury is still there and any abrupt movements might worsen the injury. Your chiropractor can make natural adjustment that not only take care of the pain but also treats the underlying cause of the injury causing pain.
Fourthly, auto accident injuries may show symptoms after a latent period. If somebody in a car accident does not have symptoms at the time of collision; if starts experiencing recurring headaches, numbness or tingling sensation in hands or limbs, neck or back stiffness, soreness and tightness of muscles or chronic muscle spasms, then it is best to consult a Centreville chiropractor for management. These symptoms indicate that a spinal injury went undiagnosed and any more delay in treatment would increase the risk of further damage and result in pain and poor posture in future.
Lastly, damage to joints during car accident injury can result in rapid development of osteoarthritis called post-traumatic osteoarthritis and calls for early chiropractor assessment and treatment.
In short, consulting your Centreville chiropractor after a car accident is a right thing to do for early diagnosis and treatment of any auto accident injuries.