Every day, thousands of car accidents occur in the United States. From fender benders to serious head-on collisions, car accidents may cause a range of injuries for drivers and passengers. Even a minor crash can result in a lingering injury that, if not treated, can get worse with time. While there are several treatment options available, many may wonder if they should go to a chiropractor after a car accident.
The answer to this, of course, depends on the type and severity of your injuries. But in many cases, yes, chiropractic care can be both a safe and effective form of treatment for many common car accident injuries. In this blog, we’re taking a closer look at how chiropractic care can help car accident patients.
Don’t let an injury get in the way of the lifestyle you love. The entire team at Denver Integrated Spine Center (DISC) is fully committed to each step of your recovery. With an experienced and compassionate team, including Denver chiropractors, massage therapists, and healthcare specialists, to restore you back to full health.
Our personalized treatment programs are effective at treating a range of different injuries, including back pain, headaches and migraines, neck pain, joint problems. We can also help you successfully recover from a car accident or sports injury. If you need effective chiropractic care in the Denver area, we can help.
Common Car Accident Injuries
Just as each car accident is unique, so are the resulting injuries. While not every car accident will end in an injury, many do. In fact, according to the National Safety Council, there were roughly 4.8 million medically consulted injuries from motor vehicle accidents in 2020 alone. Ranging from mild soreness to life-threatening injuries, you should never wait to receive medical care following a car accident.
Additionally, many car accident injuries can be tricky to identify because they aren’t immediately apparent. In a traumatic event like a car accident, your body fills with adrenaline, which can actually mask the pain of an injury for a certain period of time. Thus, even if you feel fine after a crash, there may be significant injuries still lingering.
Common car accident injuries that can be treated by professional chiropractic care include:
- Chronic back pain: back pain, especially radiating from the lower back, is a very common injury following a car accident. If left untreated, the pain tends to get only worse and can severely limit your daily activities or quality of life.
- Whiplash: this common injury occurs when the sudden impact of the crash forces your head to jerk in a certain direction while your body mostly stays in place. Whiplash can tear the fine muscles in the neck and even the upper back and may, in some cases, cause dislocation.
- Muscle pain and soreness: muscle strains can be extremely painful and may limit your mobility and daily activities. Luckily, chiropractic care is proven to be effective at reducing tension and soreness throughout the body. Some chiropractors may also offer massage therapy at their chiropractic clinics, which in tandem with chiropractic adjustments, can make a major difference.
- Spinal cord injuries: a spinal cord injury can prove serious, even life-altering, following a car accident. Whether you suffer from a herniated disc or misalignment from the crash, a spinal cord injury needs to be treated immediately.
Should I Go to a Chiropractor After a Car Accident?
It’s a good idea. For many patients recovering from car accident injuries, visiting a chiropractor is both a safe and effective way to recover from your injuries and to improve your overall health and wellness. As previously noted, chiropractors can treat many common car accident injuries, such as whiplash, muscle pain, joint stiffness, or even some soft tissue injuries.
There are many benefits to visiting a chiropractor following a car accident. Some of the top health-related benefits include:
- Relief from pain: following a car accident, chronic pain in the back, shoulder, neck, or any other joint area is common. Over time, this chronic pain can have a serious impact on the quality of your life and prevent you from doing the activities you enjoy. Chiropractic adjustments can work to relieve pain by repositioning the musculoskeletal system as it should be. When in its natural positioning, many patients experience pain relief and better nervous system health. Chiropractic adjustments may also help you avoid the need for prescription pain medication.
- Restored mobility: injuries caused by sudden trauma to your back, shoulder, hips, or knees can seriously limit your mobility and the quality of your life. Chiropractic care is an ideal form of treatment for injuries affecting joint areas and can work to restore your full mobility.
- Reduced inflammation: inflammation is normal and expected following an injury. Inflammation occurs as your body’s natural response to healing. However, too much inflammation can cause pain, discomfort, and even lead to significant damage to your tissue. Chiropractic care helps your body release a chemical called cytokine, which actually reduces inflammation throughout the body.
- Reduce scar tissue: following a car accident, many patients deal with the build up of scar tissue. This common problem can cause pain and soreness throughout the body. Chiropractors, however, utilize specialized techniques and adjustments that work with your body to break down scar tissue so you can heal faster and find relief from pain.
Following a car accident, you may be unsure as to where you should seek medical care. Consult your primary care physician to determine the best treatment path for your specific needs. You can also call a local chiropractor’s office and they will be able to help determine if chiropractic care could be right for you.
Conclusion – Should I Go to a Chiropractor After a Car Accident?
Whether on a highway on your commute to work or just making a quick trip across town, there’s always the potential for a car accident. Even the safest drivers can’t totally predict the actions of other drivers at all times. Hopefully, you’re never involved in an auto accident to begin with; however, since so many do occur every day in this country, it’s important to know where to seek help if you are injured in one.
Chiropractic care can prove to be an effective treatment for a range of common car accident injuries. Chiropractic adjustments can assist in the healing and recovery from whiplash, back pain, neck pain and stiffness, spinal cord injuries, and even headaches or migraines caused by a collision. If you’ve been in a car accident, speak with your doctor about chiropractic care and whether or not this treatment option would be right for you.
Additionally, for those experiencing a sports-related injury, a personal injury accident, chronic pain or limited mobility, visiting a chiropractor can help. At Denver Integrated Spine Center (DISC), we provide full-service chiropractic care for our patients.
For those living in the greater Denver area, our experienced chiropractors and entire healthcare team can help you recover and get you back to the life you love. Our evidence-based therapy techniques, including chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, massage therapy, and more, can speed up your recovery and boost your overall health and wellness.
Contact us today to schedule your initial consultation with one of our Denver chiropractors. Our Colorado chiropractic office specializes in personalized treatment plans designed around your needs to get you back to what you love.