About six million car crashes occur in the US every year, causing three million people to sustain injuries. About two million drivers develop permanent injuries every year as well. If you were recently in a car crash, you might experience back pain, neck pain, and other injuries.
Are you experiencing back pain after a car accident? Don’t hesitate to visit a local chiropractor for accident injuries. They can help ease your pain symptoms and strengthen your car accident lawsuit.
How exactly can a chiropractor help if you sustained an injury from a car accident? Read on to learn more.
Common Symptoms and Injuries
During a crash, your body will respond to the change in movement on impact. You could experience a second impact from your dashboard, airbag, or seat as well. As a result, you might sustain a spinal injury or some degree of back pain.
In some cases, adrenaline can mask your car accident symptoms for a few hours or even a few days. It’s important to visit a chiropractor right away. They can assess your injuries before your pain gets worse.
Otherwise, delaying treatment could lead to serious complications.
The layers of muscle in your lower back allow you to maintain an upright posture, bend, or twist. A car accident can cause you to overstretch your muscles or soft tissues. The sudden force could cause rapidly contracting muscles or compression of your muscles, too.
As a result, you could develop a condition that causes back pain, such as:
- Sciatica
- Pinched nerves
- Whiplash
- Sprains
- Strains
- Muscle injuries
- Disc bulge
- Disc herniations
- Nerve root injuries
- Joint injuries
These conditions can cause both mental and physical distress when left untreated.
Common Symptoms
Back pain can range from mild to excruciating. Symptoms can include:
- Stiffness and soreness
- Muscle spasms
- Burning pain (sporadically or continuous)
- Sharp pain
- Headaches
- Numbness and tingling in the extremities
- Lost flexibility or range of motion
- Pain with movement
- Interrupted sleep or insomnia
Back pain could also impact your ability to focus, work, or exercise. You might experience heightened emotional and mental stress, too.
Severe back injury symptoms can also cause sexual dysfunction, numbness, weakness, difficulty walking, or an inability to control bowel and bladder functions.
If you experience any of these symptoms, let your chiropractor know right away. They can diagnose and treat your back pain by developing a customized, holistic treatment plan.
Treatment Options
Your local chiropractor will determine the best treatment options based on the severity of your injury. They’ll also consider the injured structures and stage of the injury.
Your chiropractor will complete a visual examination. They might request X-rays to determine the full extent of your injuries, too.
It’s important to note that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to healing back pain after a car accident. Look for a chiropractor who has experience treating car accident patients. Their experience and expertise will ensure a more effective treatment plan.
Here are a few treatment options your chiropractor might recommend if you’re struggling with back pain.
Manual Spinal Manipulation
When most people imagine chiropractic care, they’re thinking of manual adjustments. According to research, manual adjustments are effective for treating back pain.
Chiropractic adjustments are manual manipulations that can correct your spine’s alignment. Ensuring proper alignment can ease the inflammation causing your back pain. It also ensures oxygen and nutrients can travel to injured areas to promote healing.
Hot and Cold Therapy
If you’re struggling with auto accident neck pain and back pain, your chiropractor might recommend hot and cold therapy.
Cold ice will slow blood flow around the injured area to minimize pain and inflammation. Heat, on the other hand, stimulates blood flow to encourage soft tissue healing.
Electrical Stimulation
Electrical stimulation therapy can promote nerve and soft tissue healing. It can also reduce inflammation, thereby minimizing your back pain.
Your chiropractor will use a device to send small electrical pulses to your back.
The Benefits
Why should you visit a chiropractor for accident injuries? Here are a few ways chiropractic care can benefit your recovery process after a crash.
Reduce Inflammation
As mentioned above, many forms of chiropractic care can minimize inflammation. Otherwise, excessive inflammation and swelling can contribute to your pain symptoms.
Some swelling indicates your body is using its natural healing processes. However, excessive inflammation can increase your pain symptoms. It could even cause soft tissue damage over time.
For example, many car accidents cause tendon, ligament, or muscle damage that can lead to scar tissue development. Chronic pain and stiffness can occur as a result. Chiropractic care could reduce the likelihood you’ll develop scar tissue.
Promote Natural Healing
Chiropractic methods can support your body’s natural healing processes. Encouraging these processes can promote faster recovery times.
Faster recovery times will help you return to your usual activities without pain symptoms.
It’s Non-Invasive
Chiropractic care uses non-invasive approaches to help your body heal. You won’t have to use addictive or even dangerous medications to ease your pain. You can also avoid surgery, which could otherwise leave you out of work or cause complications.
Improved Range of Motion
Chronic inflammation can cause sore and stiff muscles, leading to a restricted range of motion. Without treatment, you could notice changes to your mobility and flexibility, too.
Chiropractic care can strengthen your body, improving your mobility and flexibility over time. You can avoid range of motion issues that might otherwise impact your quality of life.
Visit a Chiropractor to Treat Back Pain After a Car Accident
Don’t hesitate to visit a chiropractor if you experience back pain after a car accident. With their help, you can develop a customized treatment plan based on your injuries. Their holistic approach can increase your recovery time and help you avoid surgery.
Experience the benefits of chiropractic care and end your back pain today!
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