Chiropractic Care After a Car Accident
A car accident can result in many types of injuries, including whiplash, cervical strain, muscle spasms, and pinched nerves. While these injuries may not be life-threatening, they can still cause significant discomfort and prevent you from carrying out your normal daily activities. Chiropractic care offers relief from these symptoms and restores the body to its natural alignment and range of motion, allowing you to return to your everyday life as quickly as possible.
How Long Will I Need Treatment?
Every person is different, and your chiropractor will develop a customized treatment plan for your needs. During auto accident rehab, the most important thing to keep in mind is returning to health at your own pace. Don’t rush it. Take it slow and steady, and you’ll be on track for recovery before you know it. Many doctors recommend a course of 12-18 treatments, but everyone heals differently, so don’t stress if your treatment goes over or under by a few sessions. As long as you continue making progress—even small ones—you're doing just fine! You can set up an appointment with our practice right now; we'll have everything ready when you come in. With all that being said: healing from a car accident takes time and patience, but it’s possible!
What Kind of Treatment Can I Expect?
As with all injuries, it’s essential to take care of your body after an auto accident by monitoring any pain you might feel. When it comes to car accidents, be sure to see a chiropractor as soon as possible. Chiropractors will often provide treatment right away and offer anti-inflammatory therapies to reduce swelling and muscle spasms. Depending on what area(s) are affected by injury, they may also recommend physical therapy or massage treatments or simply rest from whatever activity caused you to crash in the first place. Because there are many causes for vehicle collisions—and corresponding types of injuries—it’s essential to talk about your case with a professional before deciding on treatment options.
How Often Should I Visit My Chiropractor?
Visiting your chiropractor after an auto accident is crucial. Aside from routine adjustments, chiropractors can advise you on managing pain and recovering more quickly. Following your car accident, you’ll want to be seen by your chiropractor at least twice per week for spinal rehabilitation therapy. The goal of these sessions is to make sure that you’re avoiding additional injury during therapy exercises and are regaining optimal range of motion as soon as possible. As your spine continues to heal, it will become less sensitive, which means that you can reduce your treatment frequency. Depending on how severe your initial injuries were, you may need to visit your chiropractor once or twice a month for several weeks or months following an accident; even minor accidents can cause severe damage when left untreated.
My First Adjustment...What to Expect
If you’ve just been in an accident and you’re in pain, odds are you’re going to see your doctor or you’ve already been to the E.R., and they will refer you to a chiropractor. What exactly do they do? The first step is for your chiropractor to take down some basic information about your accident: where it happened, when it happened, who was driving, how fast were you traveling (if applicable), what position were you in at impact, etc. From there, a treatment plan can be created based on these answers. This plan might include many chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue work like massage, rehab/therapy exercises, and stretches—whatever your body needs to return to normal functioning as quickly as possible. One common misconception people have after seeing their chiropractor after a car accident is that they should stop going if they don’t feel better right away. Of course, everyone heals differently, but most patients start feeling significant relief within 2-3 weeks and back to normal within 4-6 weeks; sometimes, short-term care leads to long-term results!
Feeling Better is Possible!
Following an auto accident, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed by everything that’s been thrown your way. The good news is that chiropractic adjustments and rehab can help you recover and start feeling better. Our doctors will develop a treatment plan based on your specific condition, starting with chiropractic adjustments. Our goal is to make you feel better—so call our office today!