Introduction
If you were involved in a car accident, even a minor one, you probably sustained a serious injury to your spine. Many people who had been in an accident did not think they were injured because they didn’t experience immediate symptoms.
Injuries Show Up Later
Weeks to years later, the accident victim will start to suffer from headaches, trigger points, and a restricted range of motion. They can’t figure out what was going on, or what was causing all this misery.
The problem is that injuries sustained in an auto accident can remain “hidden.” These hidden injuries are serious and require immediate care. However, because the injured person isn’t hurting at the time, he doesn’t make it a priority to get the problem corrected.
How Fast To Cause Damage
Research has shown that a collision at eight miles per hour is enough to damage the bumper of a car. What do you think is tougher: the steel in a car’s bumper, or the ligaments in a human neck?
Does Speed Determine Injuries?
Imagine how much damage can be done to the spine during a collision at 35 or 55 miles per hour. Another problem is people tend to correlate the damage done to their car with the severity of their own injuries. Scientific studies have shown that one has no bearing whatsoever on the other. The car could have sustained only minimal damage, while the driver severely injured his spine. So please do not fall for the misconception that one can judge injuries based on the damage done to the car.
Whiplash Injuries
A whiplash injury involves trauma to the soft tissues of the neck, muscles, and ligaments, as well as the neurological tissues. Because of the types of tissues involved and injuries sustained, a chiropractor is the doctor of choice for whiplash injuries.
The Standard of Care
In the past the standard treatment protocols for whiplash treatment were rest, wearing a cervical collar, and using medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, painkillers, and muscle relaxers. Current research has proven that those methods are ineffective. Immobilizing and resting the injured joints leads to more severe and prolonged problems. The best thing to do is to keep the motion going in the affected area. The most appropriate methods for preserving normal joint motion are spinal adjustments, laser, pulse wave therapy, decompression, range of motion exercises, strengthening and stabilization exercises, and traction if there is a loss of the normal cervical curve.
What To Do Next
If you were involved in an automobile accident, you need to go see a chiropractor immediately. What can happen if you ignore the problem is the spine will start to break down and degenerate at an accelerated rate. If your neck has lost its normal curve, you may develop degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, and progressive spinal decay. This will lead to relentless pain which eventually cannot be helped by chiropractic or traditional medical care. Don’t wait. Make an appointment to see what chiropractic can do for you.