There are over 6 million automobile accidents that occur each year in the United States. That's roughly 18,000 accidents per day. Car accidents happen all the time and they put you and your family at risk. Many people involved in car accidents are injured. Some sustain serious, life threatening injuries. Sometimes injuries sustained in a car accident can cause lifelong pain and suffering.
Imagine yourself for a moment. You are driving along, when out of nowhere you are hit by another vehicle. Thankfully, you were wearing your seat belt and your airbags deployed. You feel sore and bruised but you are able to walk away from the accident. Maybe you are feeling like one of the lucky ones. A few hours later, you aren't so sure you are okay. You may start feeling pain in your neck or back. These types of injuries can make it hard to do even normal daily activities. Car accident chiropractors can treat injuries sustained to the neck, back and spine.
Experiencing neck pain after a car accident can be caused by something called "whiplash." Whiplash is an injury caused by a severe jerk to the head, typically in a motor-vehicle accident. Whiplash occurs when the soft tissue in the spine is stretched and strained. Whiplash is essentially a sprained neck. It can be very painful. Whiplash from a car accident is a common injury, but one that can leave you with debilitating and agonizing pain.
The most common symptoms related to whiplash include:
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Headaches, most common at the base of the skull
- Shoulder pain and stiffness
Other Symptoms may include:
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue
- Memory problems
- Difficulty sleeping
- Ringing in the ears
- Trouble Concentrating
Whiplash from a car accident can leave you feeling helpless. You need a car accident chiropractor. Chiropractors can help relieve pain caused by whiplash. Chiropractic care utilizes manual manipulation to restore the normal movement and position of the spinal vertebrae. It is the most effective treatment for minimizing long term pain caused by whiplash injuries. This is especially effective when coupled with things like massage therapy, exercise rehabilitation, soft tissue rehabilitation, and trigger point therapy.
A car accident chiropractor's main goal is to help you feel better. However, chiropractic care and soft tissue rehabilitation will have limited benefits if your re-injure or do work that can cause strain. For this reason, it is very important to use techniques between clinic visits to help you recover quickly. Some common home care therapies are; limiting work or daily activities, stretching and exercise, applying ice packs, nutritional supplements, staying hydrated, and getting plenty of rest.
In some serious cases of whiplash, you may need to have some medical care as part of your treatment. Some medical treatments may include muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatory medications, injections and in some cases epidural spine injections. These types of therapies can be used for short-term relief. Drugs won't restore normal joint function. Surgery can also be needed if an injury has caused a herniated disc or in certain cases where the spine is fractured. In these serious cases medical treatment, along with chiropractic care can be the answer to a full recovery.