Auto injuries can cause various detrimental effects on the body. These range from minor muscle strains and aches, to serious bodily injury with lifelong consequences. However, many do not realize that the symptoms can sometimes be delayed after the accident. Not seeking care immediately after an accident can lead to many conditions.
These include early formation of abnormal scar tissue, changes to our normal body mechanics, and eventually unconscious compensation patterns. All of these can lead to a delayed onset of pain or lead to the development of pain in other areas of the body as a result of the initial injury. Addressing the initial problem early can significantly reduce your chances of having repeated flare ups in the future and lower your risk of developing other conditions later on.
Common Car Accident Injuries
Whiplash is one of the most common injuries sustained during car accidents—and often one of the hardest to treat. Nearly 300,000 whiplash injuries occur each year, many at low speeds. It takes only a 2.5 mile-per-hour change in speed to injure the neck.
Although half of all whiplash injuries are the result of rear collisions, they can occur from an impact in any direction. Frontal crashes account for 30 percent of motor vehicle neck injuries.
When a part of the body is whipped back and then forward beyond its normal limits, micro-tears can develop in the surrounding ligaments. Yet many accident victims don’t notice any pain at first. It isn’t until the micro-tears start to swell that the symptoms set in, including but not limited to:
· Neck Pain/Stiffness
· Headaches/Migraines
· Blurred Vision/Dizziness
· Shoulder Pain
· Arm Pain/Numbness and Tingling
· Hip/Leg Pain
· Low Back Pain
· Fatigue/Difficulty Concentrating
· Anxiety/Depression
Soft-tissue injuries like whiplash can take a long time to heal. One study found that more than 70 percent of people who visited the emergency room after a car accident were still in pain six weeks later. Other researchers have noted that nearly half of whiplash sufferers continue to experience symptoms three months later, while 25 percent remain symptomatic for six months.
Without proper treatment, some injuries can continue to cause pain for years. As soft tissue injuries heal, they develop scar tissue. This scar tissue can affect the mechanics and movement of the tissues it attaches to. If the tissue attaches directly to the spine, it can ultimately inhibit normal functioning and even lead to spinal degeneration.
How Chiropractic Care Helps
Using a variety of drug-free techniques, from spinal adjustments to manual muscle therapy to rehabilitative exercises, chiropractors can:
1. Relieve Pain: Soft-tissue injuries may take months to fully heal, but a chiropractor can often provide pain relief much quicker than that. Some car accident victims report up to an 80 percent reduction in discomfort after just a few weeks of chiropractic care.
2. Restore Mobility. The soreness and stiffness from a motor vehicle injury can inhibit movement. Chiropractors work with patients to help get them moving again as quickly as possible so they can regain full range of motion before scar tissue develops.’
3. Support Long-Term Healing. The muscle weakness resulting from a car accident can leave patients vulnerable to re-injury. Chiropractic care often involves rehabilitative exercises that improve flexibility and strengthen the muscles surrounding the spine.
Visiting a Doctor of Chiropractic as soon as possible after an auto accident can boost a patient’s chances of making a fully recovery—without resorting to prescription drugs.