Being involved in a car accident is traumatic both mentally and physically. Most accidents occur at a low speed (under 15 miles per hour) but the human body can still be seriously injured at low speeds such as this. Your vehicle may not have sustained any damage whatsoever, but it is extremely likely that you have sustained some type of soft tissue injury. You may notice in the days and weeks after the accident that your neck and back are stiff and sore.

There are three major ways that a chiropractor can help you after you have been involved in a car accident. These include the following:

1. If you see a chiropractor immediately (within 24 hours) after your accident, they will be creating a medical record. A medical record documents your injuries and is a way to attribute those injuries sustained to you directly from the accident that you have been involved in. If you do not see a medical practitioner as soon as possible after you have been involved in an accident, your insurer may try to claim that your injuries are due to a pre-existing condition. If the insurance company is successful in doing this, you will not be able to make a claim with respect to your injuries through your insurance. Many people believe that a low impact crash is insignificant, but the injuries suffered in such a crash will definitely start to be noticeable in the days and weeks after the accident.

2. A chiropractor can assess your injuries with an examination of you. They will check out your range of motion and ask for a description of how the accident occurred, the speed at which it occurred and how your car was hit. You need to describe the pain you feel, exactly where you feel it and if there are any movements that are particularly painful. You also need to describe how severe the pain is that you are experiencing. The assessment that your chiropractor makes can help with any prescribed course of treatment designed to help you to return to normal function.

3. Certain chiropractors use what is called “Myovision” technology which is an instrument used to measure muscle tension throughout the spine and neck areas. If your chiropractor uses this kind of technology, you will be able to view the test results which produce a graph showing the areas where you have sustained injury. Soft tissue injuries are not visible to the naked eye, so a graph produced with Myovision is a good tool for prosecuting a personal injury claim through the courts, if necessary.

A good chiropractor can make an assessment and formulate a treatment plan and they can also work with an injured person to create a personalized treatment plan. Many soft tissue injuries can take months to heal completely, and in the meantime a patient can receive chiropractic treatment to help them with the pain and sensitivity. Some patients have a great deal of discomfort and inflammation immediately following an accident. It is important to deal with this aspect of any injury before any other treatments are prescribed. Chiropractic adjustments help to mobilize and realign the spine in all areas, including the cervical (neck) and thoracic (chest).