Injuries from a car accident can take a heavy toll on your physical and mental health. In many cases, victims of a car crash may not feel any pain or discomfort immediately after the accident. However, this does not mean they have nothing to worry about.
Pain After a Car Accident Can Be Delayed
Some injuries don’t show up right away. Adrenaline levels in the body spike after an accident. Adrenaline masks after-accident pain partially and sometimes nearly completely. When the body senses that the perceived threat no longer exists, the person may begin to experience pain, discomfort, and soreness.
Pain after a car accident can affect the victim’s life in several ways. Debilitating pain can affect the person’s mobility. They may experience difficulties doing daily activities and may become dependent on a caregiver. Victims of auto accidents that lose their freedom by being injured, oftentimes also experience a lower quality of life.
A study found that around 70 % of people who go to the ER after a car crash continue to experience pain up to six weeks later. Many people use over-the-counter drugs and prescription medicines to manage delayed pain after a car accident. Unfortunately, many pain medications have side effects and can become extremely addictive.
Try Chiropractic Care After a Car Accident
Many individuals who want to manage pain after a car crash naturally turn to chiropractic care for help. Chiropractic care is non-invasive, 100% drug-free, and does not have any major side effects. When performed by an expert, it is perfectly safe.
An experienced chiropractor knows that one size does not fit all. Once your chiropractor gains an in-depth understanding of your condition, they create a customized treatment plan to suit your specific needs.
Chiropractors track progress and may also tweak their patients’ care plan after a few treatments to ensure they are on track to achieve their specific goals.
Unlike traditional medicine, chiropractic care does not mask the symptoms of pain. Instead, it aims to get to the root cause of the pain and address it. Auto accident chiropractors in Santa Rosa use a wide variety of techniques, including spinal manipulations, to target the root cause of pain.
Here are some key benefits of chiropractic care after a car crash.
Reduces Scar Tissue
Muscles can become scarred after a car accident. Scar tissue can cause pain, itchiness, discomfort, stiffness, soreness, and mobility issues. Chiropractic care targets scar areas and can assist in the breaking down of scar tissues sooner than if left to heal on their own. This helps fast-track recovery and allows the patient to feel better sooner.
Reduces Inflammation
Inflammation is the immune system’s natural response to injuries. Often micro-tears occur within the muscles and ligaments after an accident and can cause inflammation. These tears are very small and sometimes even an X-rays cannot detect them.
Micro-tears can cause sudden, sharp pain. Since their X-rays may back normal after a car accident, many people wonder why they are experiencing episodes of pain. Micro-tears stop blood and nutrients from moving through the body and further create inflammation which slows the natural healing process.
Chiropractic care can help manage inflammation after an injury. It realigns the spine and produces an anti-inflammatory response that reduces inflammation and pain.
Restores Range of Motion
Neck or back injuries after a car crash can result in impaired mobility. Many people that experience neck injuries in an auto accident often experience inflamed muscles in the neck area, making it difficult to move.
Chiropractic care can help address this problem. Chiropractors use hands-on manipulation to realign the spine naturally. This helps speed up recovery and restore normal range of motion in the patient’s neck.
Helps Manage Chronic and Other Types of Pain
It is not unusual for people to experience frequent pain episodes after a car crash. Pain from an injury sustained in a car crash can range in extremeness from mild, sharp, and even debilitating.
Studies have shown that chiropractic care stimulates the body to naturally release hormones that help relieve pain throughout the body and improve the person’s overall well-being.
Can Help Avoid Long-term Pain
Many people ignore minor pain after a car crash. This could prove to be a grave mistake. Unaddressed minor injuries can snowball into major concerns, causing long-term harm.
For example, whiplash symptoms can persist for months, even years, if the person fails to seek proper medical care for whiplash after an accident.
Chiropractors are trained to diagnose and treat injuries before things take a turn for the worse, and the problem manifests in a major health issue. In addition to treating existing injuries, a chiropractor can help prevent long-term damage.
Treats and Prevents Nerve Problems
Injuries from a car accident can cause nerve damage. Chiropractic care can help address the pain caused by nerve damage. It can also prevent further problems by taking pressure off a pinched nerve.
Chiropractic Care Can Help Your Personal Injury Claim
If you have been injured in a car crash that you didn’t cause, you can make a personal injury claim against the party-at-fault. If your case reaches court, your chiropractor can provide you important medical evidence to support your claims.
They can also testify as an expert or medical witness and shed light on the nature and extent of your injuries, helping you make a successful injury claim.
Have you been injured in a car crash? Whatever the nature and extent of your injury, Toth Chiropractic can help. Dr. Douglass Toth has dedicated his life to treating people in Santa Rosa with chronic pain. He uses his expertise to design personalized treatment plans for his patients. To make an appointment, call (707) 526-1390.