How Can Chiropractic Care Help With Auto Accident Injuries
Scheduling an appointment with a chiropractor is recommended after being involved in an auto accident even if you don’t immediately experience any discomfort. A chiropractor helps patients by treating neck injuries or whiplash, back pain or injury, soft tissue injuries, as well as stiff muscles after the auto accident occurs.
Over the years, research has been published proving that injuries can and do occur in low impact auto collisions. Whiplash, the most common injury, and minor back injuries can occur in sudden changes of speed at less than three miles per hour. Harmonic Balance Chiropractic, a York PA chiropractor, can help you with the care and treatment of these types of injuries.
How Can a Chiropractor Help After an Auto Accident
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Pain is not the only concern:
Neck and shoulder pain are popular symptoms associated with whiplash. However, there are other lesser known symptoms to be aware of. Headaches, swelling in your neck, muscle spasms, nausea, numbness/tingling in your arms, trouble swallowing, dizziness, and blurred vision are causes for concern after a car accident. Symptoms can develop immediately, but they can also take days to make an appearance.
To properly manage whiplash and its effects on your body, see a chiropractor immediately after an accident occurs. Avoiding treatment leads to long-term pain, discomfort, and poor quality of life.
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Impact forces your neck into an unnatural curve:
Your neck has seven vertebrae that normally form a 35 – 45-degree curve also referred to as cervical lordosis. Studies show that during a rear-end auto collision, the torso is forced backward and it simultaneously moves the opposite way, causing the lower cervical vertebrae to hyperextend while the upper flexes forward. In this instance, muscles, tendons, and ligaments are strained to hold the vertebrae against contrasting forces.
A chiropractor will make adjustments to your spine to properly realign it and help your body in its healing process. When these adjustments are received consistently after an auto accident, pain is minimized, and many patients recover without the use of prescription drugs.
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X-rays don’t show everything:
Advancements in auto safety features have helped to diminish the number of serious head and neck injuries that occur due to rear-end collisions. Even though x-rays can be negative for causes for concern, many individuals have minor tears in their ligaments and muscles that cause severe pain. A chiropractor is able to alleviate this pain through adjustments that realign the spine and release a natural anti-inflammatory into your body.
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Help with Scar Tissue
When an individual experiences the sudden force of a car accident, their muscles can develop scar tissue. Scar tissue is an adhesion on your muscles that prevents nerves from working properly which causes pain and lack of mobility. Chiropractors can speed the healing process of scar tissue by targeting the impacted areas and breaking up the tissue during treatment sessions.
Chiropractors are trained to diagnose and treat many of the injuries that are typically associated with whiplash. If you wait too long to seek care, your only option for relief may be surgery. 10% of the 1 million individuals impacted by whiplash each year experience chronic pain that affects their daily activities. If you or someone you know is suffering from pain related to an auto accident, contact Harmonic Balance Chiropractic located in York PA for diagnosis and treatment of your auto injuries.