How Soon After a Car Accident Should I See a Chiropractor?

Posted on October 29, 2020

Accidents and injuries can happen anytime, anywhere. Nowhere are they more prevalent though than on our roads. We are at risk of injury every time we get into a vehicle, either from an accident that we cause ourselves, or that is caused by the negligence of another driver. Official figures suggest that around 3 million U.S. adults are injured in car accidents each year, but the true figure is likely to be much higher. This is because many injuries don’t manifest until hours, days, or weeks after the accident, and these often go unreported and so are never included in any statistics.

These unreported injuries usually affect the musculoskeletal system. This is made up of the skeleton and soft and connective tissues that give our body structure, shape, strength, and movement. When damage occurs to the musculoskeletal system, the severity of the injury sustained can vary tremendously. While some people experience mild symptoms that resolve themselves fairly quickly, others require specialist treatment to overcome them. Part of this specialist treatment may involve the skill and experience of a chiropractor. In fact, chiropractors are so good at identifying and addressing injuries affecting the musculoskeletal system that experts recommend that all patients visit with a chiropractor within a few days of their accident for an evaluation.

 

Types of car accident injury that chiropractic care can diagnose and treat

There are lots of different types of musculoskeletal injury that can be sustained during a car accident. Some of the most common include:

- Strains and sprains

- Muscle, tendon, and ligament tears

- Fractures

- Dislocations

- Herniated intervertebral discs

- Damage to the spinal cord

The severity of injuries can also vary significantly, with some patients able to walk around and carry on fairly normally, while others suffer from symptoms that make it difficult to perform their usual day to day activities. The sooner that you seek a chiropractic evaluation following a car accident, the quicker any issues will be detected and will be able to be treated.

 

How can chiropractic care help following a car accident?

Chiropractors are trained specifically in the detection, diagnosis, management, and treatment of disorders and injuries affecting the musculoskeletal system. Since most car accidents result in unusual levels of force being placed onto the body, which at the very least can even cause micro-damage to the musculoskeletal system, a chiropractor really is the best professional to determine what injuries you’ve sustained and how best to treat them.

There are various different chiropractic techniques that can be used as part of your treatment, but all are non-invasive. Most focus on making adjustments to the spine so that it is brought into perfect alignment. This reduces pressure on the nervous system – the system which controls all other body functions. As these all begin to work optimally, patients can start to heal more effectively.

Some of the primary benefits of seeing a chiropractor after a car accident include: 

- Natural pain relief

- Release of tension and stress

- Improved circulation

- Better joint mobility

- Easier movement

- Increased energy

- Improved sleep

- Faster recovery

If you would like to find out more about the importance of seeing a chiropractor following a car accident or to schedule an appointment, please get in touch with our team today.