Car accidents occur every day in Colorado. While some may be minor fender benders, many can result in serious injuries or fatalities. Common car accident injuries include neck and shoulder pain, whiplash, bruised ribs, serious spinal cord injuries, and more. When these injuries are left untreated, they tend to only get worse and can dramatically impact the overall quality of your life
If you’ve been involved in a car accident, a chiropractor may be the answer for your injury recovery needs. As a safe and non-invasive approach to care, more and more doctors are referring their car accident patients to chiropractors. Chiropractic adjustments can offer quick pain relief, restore mobility, and even reduce scar tissue. In this blog, we’re taking a closer look at common car accident injuries that can be effectively treated by visiting a chiropractor. Chiropractic care may even be able to help you avoid more invasive treatment alternatives, such as surgery or prescription medications.
No matter your healthcare needs, Denver Integrated Spine Center is committed to every step of your recovery. Proudly helping patients throughout the Denver metro area, our multidisciplinary injury recovery center can get you back to the active and healthy lifestyle you love. You can rely on our entire team – including our experienced chiropractors, massage therapists, and healthcare specialists – to restore you back to optimal wellness. Our evidence-based treatments can treat a wide range of different injuries, including back pain, headaches and migraines, neck pain, joint problems, and recovery from car accidents and sports-related injuries.
Common Car Accident Injuries That Can Be Treated by a Chiropractor
No matter the severity of your injuries, recovering from a car accident is never an easy task. In many cases, you may not realize the true extent of your injuries after the collision. After a car accident, the adrenaline coursing through your body can actually mask pain or symptoms of a significant injury. That’s why it’s critical to receive medical attention after a car accident even if you feel fine.
Luckily, a car accident chiropractor can safely (and effectively) treat a range of common car accident injuries. If you’re experiencing one of the following injuries as a result of a car crash, ask your doctor if chiropractic care is right for you.
- Whiplash: this injury is caused when the sudden impact of a vehicle collision forces the head to suddenly jerk forward. Whiplash can actually tear the fine muscles in neck and upper back and cause a dislocation.
- Back pain: back pain, especially in the lower back, is another common car accident injury. Left untreated, back pain can limit your mobility and daily activities and become even worse.
- Neck pain and headaches: as a common symptom of whiplash or any other sudden jerking movement of the head or neck, neck pain and stiffness can seriously impact your day-to-day life.
- Spinal cord injuries: these are some of the most severe injuries people experience from car accidents. Whether it’s a herniated disc, a misalignment, or worse, a spinal cord injury can dramatically impact your wellbeing.
- Muscle pain and soreness: muscle strains and sprains can be painful and limit your overall mobility. Chiropractic care, often in tandem with professional massage therapy, can be effective at reducing tension and soreness in the muscles.
How Does Chiropractic Care Work?
Chiropractic care begins with a thorough examination to determine your healthcare needs. While some patients may have more obvious needs, such as those recovering from a car accident, others may be less clear. Some patients come into a chiropractor’s office suffering from chronic pain or general stiffness that they can’t explain. A comprehensive examination can work to identify the source of your pain or discomfort.
Following the examination, your chiropractor may begin with a series of chiropractic adjustments. While there are a variety of manual adjustments that your chiropractor may utilize, they all primarily serve the same purpose: to realign the musculoskeletal system into its proper and natural positioning. When the musculoskeletal system is adjusted in such a way, many patients experience quick pain relief, improved overall mobility, and reduce joint discomfort. Chiropractic care can even boost the health of your nervous system.
While a chiropractic office may offer a range of healthcare services, chiropractic adjustments are the “bread and butter” for this type of care. When your chiropractor performs an adjustment, they apply quick, but firm, pressure to your back, shoulder, neck, or any other joint area that is causing an issue. In general, chiropractic adjustments are entirely pain free. Many patients even report that they feel relaxing or soothing. Some report mild soreness the day after the adjustment, but this is normal and comparable to how you’d feel after a solid workout at the gym.
After an adjustment, many patients feel the difference right away. It’s common for your posture to improve and to stand up a bit straighter. Depending on your specific healthcare needs, your chiropractor may recommend repeat visits to optimize the results of chiropractic care. While patients may see quick benefits, such as pain relief, the results will only improve as you dedicate yourself to your chiropractic care program.
How Does Chiropractic Care Help With Car Accident Injuries?
Chiropractic care can help treat common car accident injuries in key ways, including:
- Pain relief: chronic pain, especially in your back or neck, is common following a car accident. Chiropractic adjustments can provide quick pain relief that is both safe and designed to last.
- Improve mobility: joint stiffness and limited mobility are both common following an auto accident. Chiropractic adjustments can help you regain any lost mobility so you can return to your normal activities.
- Reduce inflammation: some inflammation is natural following an injury as your body works to heal. But too much inflammation can end up damaging your tissue and cause pain and general discomfort. By helping your body release cytokine, chiropractic adjustments can actually reduce your levels of inflammation.
- Reduce scar tissue: scar tissue can cause pain and stiffness to an injured area of the body. But a chiropractor can use specific techniques that help your body break down scar tissue and heal even faster.
Conclusion – Common Car Accident Injuries That Can Be Treated by a Chiropractor
Car accidents are a common occurrence in Colorado and throughout the United States. If car accident injuries are left untreated, they can prove to be even more problematic as time goes on and lead to additional health issues. You should never let a car accident injury derail the quality of your life. If you’re involved in a car accident, speak with your primary care physician about chiropractic care. Chiropractors are trained to treat a range of injuries and ailments affecting the musculoskeletal system. This includes several common car accident injuries, such as whiplash, back pain, herniated discs, and more.
If you’re recovering from a car accident injury, our chiropractic team can help. Denver Integrated Spine Center (DISC) offers full-service chiropractic care for patients in Denver and throughout the Denver metro area. Our entire team is dedicated to your healthcare needs and recovery. If you’re recovering from an injury, car accident, or experiencing chronic pain or joint stiffness, our evidence-based therapy techniques can improve your recovery and boost your overall health and wellness.
Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation with one of your specialists. Our Colorado chiropractic office specializes in personalized treatment plans designed around your needs to help you recover from an injury, relieve pain, and get you back faster to the life you love.