How Soon After a Car Accident Should I See a Chiropractor?
When you think of car accident injuries, broken bones, lacerations, and visible bruising come to mind. But many people suffer unseen injuries – damage to muscles, tendons, organs, and bones that can go undetected and possibly worsen without a prompt medical evaluation.
Whether or not your injuries are visible or even painful, it’s a good idea to visit your nearest urgent care center or emergency room after being involved in a collision. Accident victims who are injured because of another driver’s negligence have legal recourse, but documentation of injuries and medical expenses is critical to a successful claim.
See a chiropractor within the first week
Emergency medical specialists and trauma surgeons are well-versed in life-saving treatments and can assess the severity of injuries and acute trauma. But what about other health care professionals like chiropractors, who are trained to relieve pain caused by spinal misalignment and a common injury known as whiplash? How soon after a car crash should you see a chiropractor?
Ideally, you should visit a chiropractor within the first few days of the accident. The sooner a chiropractor can examine you and understand your symptoms, the faster they can devise a plan of action to reduce pain and minimize the chance of ongoing problems.
Finding an experienced Pittsburgh personal injury attorney is another important step to your recovery process. As any good lawyer knows, putting off treatment of car accident injuries can undermine the validity of your case. Insurance companies will see this as a red flag, and a possible reason to deny or diminish the value of your claim.
Chiropractic care after a car accident
Depending on the type and severity of injuries incurred, chiropractic care can be an excellent complement to your primary health care. Chiropractors use manipulation to relieve pain and restore mobility to muscles, tendons, and soft tissues injured by a traumatic event – such as a rear-end collision.
Your first visit usually entails a physical examination and diagnostic imaging. This, combined with your medical history and current symptoms, provides the information needed for treatment. Soft tissue injuries like whiplash are notoriously difficult to diagnose and may not cause soreness, stiffness, or pain for days after the accident.
Chiropractic treatment is aimed at relieving neuromusculoskeletal problems using non-surgical modalities. This alternative, hands-on treatment is less expensive than traditional medicine, and can often provide relief without surgery or prescription medications.
While chiropractors are not licensed to prescribe medicine, they may counsel patients on specific exercises and stretches to promote range of motion, Kinesio taping, or refer them to naturopaths or specialists in integrative medicine, with the goal of healing and preventing future re-injury.
Non-invasive treatment
Neck stiffness and soreness are classic symptoms of whiplash, but they are not the only ones. Headaches, radiating from the base of the skill, blurry vision, and shoulder pain are other signs that your upper cervical vertebrae were hyperextended, causing inflammation and injury. With time, the neck becomes stiffer, and you may experience nausea, arm pain, dizziness, and visual disturbances.
There are many reputable chiropractors who specialize in treating vehicle accident injuries such as whiplash, back pain, and neck pain. In addition to manual manipulation, they may use electrical muscle stimulation, heat therapy, and massage.
Ask your friends if they can recommend a good chiropractor, or your primary care physician may be able to provide a referral. When in doubt, a Pittsburgh car accident lawyer can point you in the right direction for all of your medical care needs.
Chaffin Luhana – Doing Good by Doing Right
Chiropractic care is a safe, non-invasive treatment for many types of car accident injuries resulting in neck pain, restricted mobility, low back pain, and joint problems. With prompt and proper treatment, inflammation is reduced, and the body’s natural healing abilities kick in.
If you were hurt in an auto accident and need sound legal advice after getting medical treatment, contact Chaffin Luhana. There is no cost to speak with a trusted Pittsburgh car accident attorney, so please call or text us today.