Car Accident and Personal Injury - How soon should you see a chiropractor??

You were just in a car accident; how quickly should you seek treatment from a Doctor of Chiropractic?

It has been shown that the sooner you see a chiropractor, the faster you will feel better and you will have less long-term effects. How you ask? Let me explain:

Whiplash is a common injury that occurs in car accidents. It is comprised of small tears in your muscles and ligaments. You may start to feel the symptoms right away or it could take weeks to start feeling them. Signs and symptoms of whiplash are dizziness, headaches, soreness, and/or pain in upper back and neck.

When your spine is adjusted by a Chiropractor, an inflammation reducing hormone is released into the body. Decreasing the inflammation helps to decrease pain and allow blood and nutrients to the affected areas for proper healing. Side note: This hormone is released throughout your whole body though so you might find that things that hurt before your accident start to feel better too.

A complication from injury during an accident is the development of scar tissue as you heal. Chiropractors can directly treat this as it begins to help break the scar tissue down so it heals correctly and does not continue to form. Scar tissue decreases range of motion, makes the patient feel stiff and increases their pain levels. Addressing pain and dysfunction right away can help keep you from progressing into chronic conditions and surgery.

Another benefit of seeing a chiropractor quickly is that they will help decrease your pain with non-invasive, drug free methods. Pain medicines only mask the pain, they do not help you heal. Pain medicines are also highly addictive. You might not realize until you start to feel better but you don’t want to stop taking the medication or if you do, you have withdrawal symptoms. Chiropractic helps the body heal naturally by allowing nutrients and blood flow to the areas and allowing the body to move as it should.

Doctors of Chiropractic our specialist when it comes to the spine so know you are in good hands when seeking treatment after a car accident.