Car accidents happen fast and can leave you feeling stressed and in serious pain. You might think a small fender-bender might not warrant a trip to the doctor, but a good rule of thumb is this: If there’s any damage to your car then there is likely damage to your body as well. That’s why it’s best to visit a car accident chiropractor after any size collision, no matter whether you feel the pain right away or not.
Car accident injuries can be tricky to notice right away because the stress and shock of an accident can prevent you from fully feeling the pain of your injuries. While scrapes, cuts, bruises, and even broken bones are obvious injuries you can spot right away, internal injuries need to be assessed by a professional. Car accident chiropractors are well-versed in all types of car accident injuries that can affect you, especially those that impact the spine. Here are four examples of common spine injuries that can happen from a car accident.
Whiplash
The most common car accident injury of all is called whiplash. When you suffer a whiplash injury, it can affect your head, neck, upper back, and more. When your head snaps forward and backward violently during an accident, it causes your neck muscles to strain outside of their normal range of motion. When these neck muscles are strained or even torn, it can weaken their ability to provide the necessary support to your head and neck. Whiplash is commonly known for causing subluxations in the spinal column, which are misalignments in the spine that can cause pain and other issues. A whiplash injury can even lead to other injuries like damage to the spinal discs. Whiplash symptoms include headaches, stiff muscles and dizziness.
Herniated Disc
A herniated disc is a type of injury that affects the spinal discs that separate the vertebrae in your spine. The spinal discs are spongy tissues that help absorb shock and prevent the vertebrae from rubbing against one another. When a spinal disc slips out of place, it can put pressure on nearby nerves and cause symptoms of pain, tingling and numbness. The force of a car accident can cause your body to be jostled around so strongly that it can lead to misalignments and slipped discs.
Sprains and Strains
When your body is violently jerked around during a car accident, it can cause sprains and strains that affect your muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Sprains are a type of injury to the tissue that connects two bones together, while strains affect injured tissue that connects bone to muscle. When you suffer a sprain or a strain after a car accident, it can cause your spine to be less supported and misalignments and other damage is more likely. When you suffer from a sprain or a strain, a car accident chiropractor can help you restore strength and promote healing in the area.
Spinal Cord Damage
Damage to the spinal cord from a car accident injury is most commonly associated with blunt force trauma. If you suffer from spinal cord damage, it can affect your strength, mobility, and sensations. Spinal cord damage is treated very cautiously because of how this type of injury can significantly impact your health and well-being. A sudden blow to the spine can lead to trauma that affects vertebrae in the spine. These joints may be damaged, dislocated, or even crushed, depending on the situation. When the spinal cord is damaged, it can also affect the nervous system and impact the functioning of nerves in the body.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help
A car accident chiropractor is uniquely qualified to address spine injuries like these after a car accident through chiropractic therapy. Depending on the type of injury, you might not experience pain right away, but your doctor can assess whether damage has already been done. A chiropractor will gently assess how the accident has impacted your entire body, not just your spine. This holistic approach to your care will help not only relieve your symptoms but also address the root cause of your pain and injury. Chiropractic adjustments are gentle, safe, and non-invasive ways to treat car accident injuries that affect the entire musculoskeletal system.
At Pro-Care Medical Center, our team of car accident chiropractors will diagnose and treat all kinds of car accident injuries, including spine injuries. Call or visit us today to get started on the healing and recovery process today.
