Car accidents can cause hidden injuries that eventually develop into headaches, pain, and arthritis. If you’ve been involved in a car accident, you may not even realize that you’ve been hurt. A Chiropractor can treat many car accident injuries, and many times, insurance will cover the costs.

Chiropractors treat these types of injuries by using specific chiropractic adjustments. After requesting a thorough case history, and administering an examination, a Chiropractor will recommend the necessary care that will help to restore motion and position to your spine. The chance of developing inflammation and scar tissue can be reduced if treated early.

Types of Car Injuries

Whiplash
Whiplash is a term used to describe neck pain due to an injury to the tissues of your neck (muscles, tendons, and ligaments). It is caused by a quick motion or force applied to your neck that causes your neck to move beyond its normal range of motion.

Motor vehicle accidents are a common cause of whiplash. Did you know that the intensity of the neck injury may not relate to the intensity of the neck injury? A speed of fifteen miles per hour can produce the energy to cause whiplash in the occupants of the car (with or without seat belts).

Sprains and Strains
Ligaments are attached to bone on each side of the joint. A sprain occurs if the ligament is stretched or torn.

Strains occur when the muscle is torn or stretched. One of the most common causes is the overuse or stretching of the muscles. Damage can occur in the following three areas:

• A tear can occur where the muscle and tendon meet
• The tendon might tear completely or partially
• The muscle itself can tear

Shoulder and Neck Pain
The neck and shoulder area contains bones, nerves, veins, arteries, and muscles, as well as ligaments and other supporting structures. Pain in the neck and shoulder area can be caused by many conditions.

Serious conditions can include a heart attack or other major trauma. Other causes that are not so serious include simple strains or contusions. Most shoulder and neck pain is caused from injuries to muscles and ligaments.

Numbness

Parasthesia (numbness and tingling in the legs and arms) can include symptoms such as burning, pain, or prickling along the skin. These symptoms might indicate malfunction of the sensory nerves, which could be caused by traumas caused by car accidents or head injuries. An examination is required to determine if an injury is the cause of these symptoms.

Dizziness & Vertigo

Dizziness is a symptom that can be mildly annoying or it can be caused by something that is more serious. After an auto accident, people might experience this as a symptom of an injury sustained from the accident.

Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain related to car accidents is one of the most prevalent types of chronic back pain. A car accident can create enough force to shatter bone and tear apart soft tissue. Even a small fender bender can be the cause of significant lower back pain.

A licensed Chiropractor specializing in car accident injuries can treat and alleviate lower back pain.

Seatbelt Injury

In car accidents, seatbelts can cause misalignment in the ribs and vertebrae, which can cause pinched nerves that are connected to the affected areas, resulting in pain and discomfort. Consult an experienced Chiropractor for a post-accident examination.

Why should you visit a Chiropractor after a Car Accident?

A Chiropractor will gather the appropriate medical history, and perform an examination to diagnose the reason for the pain you are experiencing after you have been in a car accident.

To check for possible fractures, your Chiropractor may ask you to have an X-ray or MRI if you haven’t already had one done. A treatment plan might consist of chiropractic adjustments and physiotherapy (ice, massage, and muscle stimulation) followed by an adjustment and a rehabilitation program to restore strength and endurance.