Car accidents can be highly traumatic and leave people with physical injuries and psychological distress. Whiplash and back pain are the most common injuries in car accidents. Whiplash usually occurs when a car makes a sudden break, and the passenger's head moves in the direction of the force, causing injury to a person's head and neck. It can cause pain and dizziness and injuries to the neck, but it can also cause injuries to other parts of the body such as the head, shoulders, arms, and legs.

 

These injuries can have serious effects on your health and can lead to months or even years of chronic pain if left untreated. If you have back or neck pain after a car accident, you may also suffer a spinal injury along with whiplash. Our staff understands the complexity of the injury, and we are committed to helping our patients recover fully from car accidents. Complications can occur, and the longer you go without treatment, the more likely they are to become permanent injuries. More severe injuries can lead to permanent damage and physical disabilities. 

 

Causes & Symptoms

Whiplash is often caused by a car accident but can also occur when walking, cycling, falling, or even driving. Symptoms of pain after the accident include pain in the neck, back, shoulders, hips, legs, knees, feet, ankles, and feet. Many accident victims also suffer from dizziness, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, dizziness, headaches, nausea and vomiting. In severe cases of whiplash, hearing, vision, and memory problems can occur. The symptoms of injury pain as the result of an accident include neck and back pain, whiplash, migraines, headaches, shoulder pain, fatigue, weakness in the upper or lower limbs, jaw pain, and even facial pain. A lot of accident victims suffer from blurry vision, irritability, sleep disturbances, dizziness, and forgetfulness as well, which are not symptoms that are noticed immediately. 

 

Neck and back pain can occur when the force of a car accident forces the musculoskeletal system out of proper alignment. This abrupt movement puts a strain on the neck muscles and causes further stiffness and pain, causing the spine to lose alignment, leading to further pain. 

 

Whiplash trauma can occur, as can back and neck pain due to a spine or spinal cord injury. It often leads to a serious neck injury because this part of the body is very sensitive to stress and inflammation. Since the affected area is usually inflamed, it can take one to two days for the injury to manifest. Therefore, it is important to have a medical check-up - and do it immediately, within a few days after the car accident. 

 

Could you be suffering pain from a whiplash or spinal injury? If you have recently had a car accident, consult your chiropractor to discuss the options available to treat the underlying spinal or whiplash injury. The care will relieve the symptoms of the nerves and muscles and bring alignment back to the spine to relieve pain. 

 

Chiropractic care after an automotive accident to deal with the effects of auto injuries is the best way to deal with your symptoms and support your body's healing process.

 

How Chiropractic Care Can Help

Many whiplash victims settle their insurance claims without realizing they are still suffering the symptoms of the car crash. Although many whiplash victims recover over time, more than 20 percent of whiplash victims suffer pain months or years after the accident. 

 

Fortunately, chiropractic care can help restore normal movement and position of the vertebrae, restore balance to the spine and relieve whiplash pain. At Natural Care Chiropractic, we analyze, diagnose and treat all types of injuries, such as back pain, back injuries, spinal injuries, and soft tissue injuries caused by accidents. Our Chiropractic treatment can help minimize chronic pain and long-term symptoms common with whiplash, such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, and memory problems.

 

Diagnosis

After a car accident, the most important step is to seek medical treatment to reduce stress and treat injuries caused by the accident. Take the first step to relieving pain after whiplash by making an appointment to discuss your specific condition with a chiropractor.

 

Your doctor will probably request one or more imaging tests to rule out other conditions that could worsen your neck pain. If your whiplash injury is not visible through imaging, your doctor may need to order an MRI or CT scan. 

 

These imaging tests use radio waves and magnetic fields to produce detailed 3D images. X-rays of the neck can detect fractures, dislocations, and arthritis from many angles. A particular type of X-ray can produce a cross-sectional image of your bone and show possible bone damage.

 

Whiplash Treatment

Your treatment plan will depend on the extent of your whiplash injury and the severity of the injury. In addition to bone injuries, MRI scans can also reveal other injuries such as fractures, dislocations, and arthritis, as well as a range of other illnesses. Some people only need over-the-counter medications and home care, but others need medical care such as chiropractic care, physiotherapy, acupuncture, manual therapy, and others.

 

Chiropractic adjustments can treat any underlying spinal or whiplash injuries. The way adjustments work is by reducing pressure on the person's muscles and nerves while at the same time realigning the spine. Complementary therapies and corrective exercises serve to restore the body to its proper range of motion.

 

If you've been the victim of a car accident recently, you need to get in contact with our chiropractor without hesitation. Prompt treatment will help both chronic and acute pain. Through a proper diagnosis and subsequent treatment, our chiropractors will identify your injuries and draft a treatment plan to assist your body's natural healing process.

 

The accident does not even need to be that severe to cause damage to your musculoskeletal system. Injuries that occur as a result of slow-speed collisions (even 5 miles per hour) can cause the cervical spine to go out of alignment, thus leading to a debilitating whiplash injury. Unfortunately, because fender benders are usually considered "minor" accidents, victims of such accidents typically don't consider getting treatment immediately, which can cause many problems later on in life. Remember, immediate care can be life-changing.

 

If you have been the victim of an auto accident recently, Dr. Gopaul can help you out. Get in touch with us today to learn about the benefits of chiropractic care for auto accident injuries!