According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), car accidents in the United States occur every minute.
That means approximately 5.25 million car accidents happen every year, with almost 2.35 million left injured or disabled, according to the Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT).
Being caught in a car accident is unfortunate, and the recovery period can be stressful. Thankfully, chiropractic treatment can help alleviate pain and speed up the recovery process.
Why See a Chiropractor?
For those asking themselves, “Should I see a chiropractor after a car accident?” Here are some benefits chiropractic treatment can provide.
1. Receive Non-Invasive Treatment
Avoid surgery by visiting a chiropractor well-versed in treating vehicular accidents in the early stages of your recovery to realign your spine without invasive means. If you wait too long, surgery is almost inevitable.
2. Reduce Inflammation
As the body heals, inflammation is normal. However, too much inflammation can cause discomfort and pain. Some may experience inflammatory back pain, and some may experience pain in other body parts. Allowing a chiropractor to realign your bones and joints will stop the production of neuropeptides and reduce inflammation.
3. Reduce Scar Tissue
Scar tissue is what replaces damaged skin after incurring an injury. Usually, it heals on its own, but the discomfort can be too much for some. While normal, scars can be reduced with chiropractic treatments. Chiropractors are equipped with various techniques to break down scar tissue and quicken the healing process.
4. Relieve Pain
Receiving chiropractic adjustments after an accident is known to reduce pain because spinal manipulations urge the body to release pain-relieving hormones, such as oxytocin, neurotensin, and cortisol. While medications for pain relief are available, you can address the root cause directly by opting for chiropractic treatment.
5. Restore Motion
After a car accident, injuries and inflammation can limit your range of motion. Misalignment in the spine also contributes to this. With spinal manipulation and chiropractic adjustment, pain and inflammation can be treated, bringing your joints and spine back to their proper alignments and restoring your flexibility.
Chiropractic Treatment for Car Accident Injuries
Here are some of the best chiropractic treatments for speeding up the recovery process:
1. Electric Muscle Stimulation
Electric Muscle Stimulation (EMS) is a chiropractic procedure that sends a weak electric current through the muscles to accelerate recovery. This process leads to muscular contraction, relieving pain, reducing swelling, and toning the muscles.
2. Whiplash Treatment
Whiplash is an injury in the neck caused by excessive bending, usually occurring after an auto accident. During the early healing stages, chiropractic treatment will reduce inflammation, including gentle stretching and manual therapy.
To speed up your recovery, chiropractors may recommend having light neck support and applying ice packs from time to time to reduce inflammation. Once the swelling in your neck has gone down, chiropractors may also apply moist heat. If needed, they may also provide other treatments, such as ultrasound and massages. When inflammation and pain subside, that is the time for chiropractors to perform manipulations and other essential procedures to restore your neck joints to their proper functioning.
3. Manual Therapy
Manual therapy reduces inflammation and swelling, relieves pain, restores the range of motion, and improves muscle strength. The following are some examples of such therapy:
- Resistance Techniques
- Therapeutic Massages
- Joint Stretching
- Trigger Point Therapy
- Soft-Tissue Techniques
4. Spinal Manipulation
Studies have proven that the spine influences other bodily functions, and a misalignment can cause extreme pain. To realign the spine and other joints, the chiropractic procedure performed is spinal manipulation. Here are the three different techniques in which spinal manipulation is involved:
- Flexion-Distraction Technique – This specific technique is used to reduce pain and inflammation caused by herniated discs. The Flexion-Distraction technique involves gentle spinal manipulation in the form of slow pumping actions. Whiplash injuries from auto accidents cause herniated discs to aggravate, and this technique is one of the most viable options to address it.
- Instrument-Assisted Manipulation – This non-thrusting technique is best used for older patients suffering from degenerative joint syndrome and auto accident injuries. As the name implies, instrument-Assisted Manipulation, involves using a hand-held tool to apply force to the spine gently.
- Specific Spinal Manipulation – This thrusting technique is for restoring spinal joints to their normal motion and functioning. Specific Spinal Manipulation involves identifying the spinal joints with restricted motions and using a thrusting technique, which stretches soft tissues and triggers the body’s nervous system to restore spinal joints to normal conditions.
Schedule a Chiropractic Visit Today
Chiropractic procedures are proven to help accelerate car accident recovery, but the big question is, “For how long should you go to a chiropractor after an accident?”
To that question, there is no definite answer. Incorporating chiropractic care into your health care routine yields many benefits, so you can still schedule chiropractic visits even after a full recovery.
For high-quality chiropractic treatment, consult the best chiropractors. We at Advanced Chiropractors Group are partnered with the best chiropractors in your area and are ready to connect you. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.
