Can Chiropractic Help After a Car Accident?
Americans know that car accidents are some of the most common and severe health and life-threatening accidents that can occur. Experts estimate that in the US alone, a car accident happens every single minute. Irrespective of whether the accident is very serious, or relatively mild (walking away “without a scratch”), just being inside a vehicle during a collision can be significant enough to disrupt the body’s natural balance. Even when there are no injuries immediately felt, injuries from car accidents can often take time to manifest and reach their peak of severity. There are many different effects that can occur as the result of a car accident, so if you’re wondering “can chiropractic help after a car accident?” then read on to find out.
Chiropractic can help with whiplash.
One of the most common injuries that occurs during and in the aftermath of a car accident is whiplash. Whiplash is a violent thrust to the neck, which causes the joints, muscles, and tendons of the neck to “whip” forward and backward—oftentimes more than just once. When whiplash happens, it can cause something that chiropractors call subluxation, which very simply is misalignment in the bones and joints. The intense force of the whipping motion can leave the neck bones resting on each other differently than they were before, which can cause a large series of problems. One of these problems is chronic neck pain, which is one of the main maladies that car accident victims complain of following an accident.
Subluxation caused by whiplash is common, and sometimes the pain of subluxation can take months to develop after the initial impact of a car crash. Pain from whiplah-induced subluxation may feel like sharp pain, shooting pain, an ache, numbness, and tingling. The reason for this pain is usually because a misaligned joint or disc is pressing on a nearby nerve.
Chiropractic care can help to relieve pain caused by whiplash by treating the problem at the source – by correcting the misalignment in the bones and joints. As a result, pain can be reduced or eliminated, posture can improve, and inflamed nerves can heal.
Chiropractic can help with back pain.
Just like in the case of neck pain caused by whiplash, back pain that results from a car accident is likely also due to subluxation (misalignment). If you’re feeling back pain after a car accident, it’s no surprise. During the collision, your back and spine absorb the force and impact of the other car. The spine and back aren’t built to absorb this kind of force, unfortunately, which can cause bones and joints to move out of their natural alignment.
Back pain can appear immediately following an accident, or take months to show up. Either way, chiropractic care can help by correcting the misalignment after a car accident. Once the misalignment is corrected, there is a high chance that the body will heal at a much faster rate following the treatment.
Chiropractic can help with sciatica.
Have you ever had sciatica? It’s the unmistakable feeling of a sharp, shooting pain running down your glutes and the back of your leg muscles. Sciatica comes from inflammation of the sciatic nerve, which rests in your lower back. If the sciatic nerve is irritated (which is often when bones and joints of the lower back move out of their natural position), you can experience sciatica.
Chiropractic treatment can reduce the inflammation of the sciatic nerve as it gently realigns the bones and joints of the spine to stop them from irritating the area. This can effectively alleviate the pinching, sharp sensation of sciatic pain.
Chiropractic can help with psychological stress.
While psychological stress isn’t usually considered a physical injury, it can be one of the most devastating outcomes of a car accident. When the mind is in shock immediately following a car accident, it can be difficult to perceive the level of psychological stress that is occurring. Those who have experienced a car accident, however, know how severe psychological stress can be after an initial processing period. Psychological stress can also be worsened depending on the magnitude of injuries suffered and car damage that occurred.
Fortunately, chiropractic can help to reduce psychological stress in the body as a result of its soothing, rejuvenating effects on the nervous system. Patients who experience chiropractic care report feeling more clear-headed, relaxed, and uplifted after a treatment.
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The team of North Alabama Spine & Rehab is proud to offer the most comprehensive and personalized chiropractic treatment available. North Alabama Spine & Rehab serves the entire North Alabama area, including Florence, Huntsville, Scottsboro, Fort-Payne, Albertville and Decatur. If you’re been in a car accident and are looking for chiropractic care, look no further than North Alabama Spine & Rehab for the highest quality of care.
