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Should I Go to the Chiropractor After an Auto Accident?

The short answer to this question is yes, you should see a chiropractor as soon as you can after an auto accident. A minor auto accident can cause whiplash, back pain, misalignments in the spine, as well as other ailments. Receiving chiropractic care as soon as possible after an auto accident will help ease your pain and can help prevent long term complications from the injuries caused by the accident. 

A common injury in auto accidents is whiplash. In fact, the American Chiropractic Association reports that approximately two-thirds of people involved in auto accidents develop whiplash signs and symptoms. Whiplash occurs when your neck “snaps or whips” back and forth suddenly. This movement could very easily damage or strain muscles, ligaments, and discs, as well as move the vertebrae in your neck out of alignment. Chiropractic care helps to relieve pain naturally by realigning the spine and improving movement in the neck. A series of specific spinal adjustments will improve blood flow, increase range of motion, reduce inflammation, and speed up your healing time.

Chiropractors use a variety of therapeutic techniques to treat the aches and pains that follow an auto accident. Massage can help ease muscle spasms, improve range of motion and reduce pain by encouraging the release of endorphins (which are hormones produced by your body to reduce pain). If you have a back that feels sore and stiff then spinal manipulation, in addition to massage and other physical therapies (muscle stimulation and exercises) may be part of your treatment plan. A misaligned vertebrae can cause muscle tension and increased pain if muscles or bone are pressed against a nerve. A misalignment may actually occur in the back or neck but with a pinched nerve you could feel pain in the arms and legs as well. 

  Treatment can be helpful even if it has been months or years since your accident. Scar tissue can develop on muscles after an auto accident. This scar tissue causes a stiff and uncomfortable body with restriction of joints and muscle spasms. Specific spinal Adjustment, massage and other therapies can assist in breaking down and stretching out that scar tissue. This helps restore flexibility and range of motion. Chiropractors often will give a patient a set of exercises to perform after they have been involved in an accident to strengthen muscles, stabilize spinal vertebra and decrease inflammation. The Journal of Chiropractic Medicine published a study where a sixty one year old woman reached out for chiropractic care three years after her auto accident. After six months of spinal manipulation and adjustments, she reported improvements in pain and in her quality of life. 

Medications give us temporary pain relief after an accident, but the medications can have a variety of side effects such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, abdominal pain. Chiropractic care offers a natural pain relief method. 

Treating injuries quickly with chiropractic care prevents auto accident injuries from becoming long-term problems. If you do not seek treatment you will be at a higher risk for developing chronic pain, migraines, arthritis, bulging, herniated discs or even prevent surgeries in some instances. So yes, you should see a chiropractor after an auto accident - big or small. Thanks for reading, Dr. Joe

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