neck and shoulder pain

Each year thousands of Martin County residents are involved in car accidents.  Here are 3 reasons to choose chiropractic care after a car accident.
Some car accidents cause minor damage while others cause major damage.  The severity of the damage to vehicles and the severity of the injuries vary.  Did you know that the vehicle crash damage does not directly correlate to the degree of occupant injury?  It’s true.  A study published in the Society of Automotive Engineers, ¹ dispels this widely held myth. That means, even if your car accident was minor, your injuries could be serious, even life altering.

Unfortunately, it’s common for people to develop chronic issues as a result of a seemingly minor accident.  What’s worse, you may not be aware that you’ve been injured immediately following the accident.

Chiropractic care is the best option for musculoskeletal injuries, including those suffered in car accidents. As a chiropractor, Dr. Danielle can treat many of these injuries without drugs or surgery.  Fortunately, the injuries suffered in most minor auto accidents don’t require surgery and drugs.  However, if prescription drugs and/or surgery are required to restore you to optimal functionality, Dr. Danielle will provide  guidance in finding the right resources to help you achieve this goal.

Here are the top three reasons to choose chiropractic care after a car accident in Martin County, FL

#1: Imaging can’t catch micro-tears that are caused by a car accident.

Unfortunately, medical imaging such as X-rays or MRIs can’t detect the micro-tears in ligaments and muscles after a traumatic injury like those resulting from an auto accident. These microscopic tears in the muscle are why you may wake up with severe pain the day after an accident. Whiplash is a soft tissue neck injury that occurs when the neck snaps back and forth in a rapid motion. That rapid snapping back and forth causes microscopic tears in the neck muscles.

Soft-tissue injuries (a.k.a. micro-tears in ligaments and muscles) like whiplash can take a long time to heal. One study found that more than 70 percent of people who visited the emergency room after a car accident were still in pain six weeks later. Other researchers have noted that nearly half of whiplash sufferers continue to experience symptoms three months later, while 25 percent remain symptomatic for six months.²

Traumatic injuries such as those suffered in a car accident often include micro-tears and micro lesions. These cause inflammation which in turn causes pain. ³ Studies show that chiropractic adjustments help the body release anti-inflammatory Interleukin 6 (IL-6)⁴.  Interleukin 6 (IL-6) plays an integral role in the body’s healing ability, including trauma, burns, cancers and infections.⁵

#2: Chiropractic Care After a Car Accident Helps Heal Internal Scar Tissues

When you hear the word “scar tissue” you might think of the scar from a nasty fall off your bike when you were young.  Your body also forms this special type of tissue inside your body when your ligaments and muscles are injured.  Just as the scar tissue you see on your skin doesn’t look or act like your undamaged skin, the scar tissue inside your body doesn’t have the same elasticity or mobility of uninjured soft tissue.

When scar tissue forms in the ligaments, especially those in your neck or back, it can lead to long term pain and reduced mobility.  Scar tissue continues to grow and change throughout the recovery process which may take from twelve to eighteen months.⁶  Prompt chiropractic care after a car accident is very effective at remodeling scar tissue.  Chiropractic treatment and stretching of scar tissue helps align the collagen fibers, allowing it tolerate daily activities. ⁷

Studies show that car accident victims  treated within one week of their accident saw the best overall improvement. ⁸ Many chiropractors refer to this time period as the “golden week” because the inflammatory reaction which occurs during this period, if left unchecked, will produce scars and adhesions that make future management more difficult.

#3: Chiropractic Care After a Car Accident Releases Pain Relieving Hormones

Studies also show that chiropractic care helps release pain reducing hormones.⁹ These hormones provide natural pain relief from both acute and chronic pain. They will help relieve the pain from the acute injuries suffered in a car accident.  Fortunately, they don’t stop there!  They will also help any other areas that were causing pain before the accident.

Unfortunately, turning to pain pills can actually make pain worse in the long run. Contrary to marketing messages that imply otherwise, pain medications do not speed up the healing process.  Pain medications (both OTC and prescription) can be very beneficial for the first 7 – 10 days after a traumatic injury.  Used in the short term, these can provide symptomatic relief while chiropractic care breaks up scar tissue and adhesions, relieving stiffness, pain and the discomfort it causes.

We’re learning that you won’t find the solution to pain – even chronic pain – in a pill.  Not only are opioid medications  dangerous and addictive, they can actually cause your pain to worsen. Studies show that when you use an opioid pain reliever, it sets off a chain of immune signals in the spinal cord that amplify pain rather than dulling it, even after the drug leaves the body. ¹⁰

Prompt Chiropractic Care is Key

Gentle chiropractic care will help prevent long-term, chronic pain conditions and allow you to achieve optimal recovery after an auto accident.  Gentle Chiropractic Care is a newer method of chiropractic care.  It replaces high-velocity adjustments with low-velocity, low amplitude manipulations. It is performed with a gentle touch, targeting a specific area.  Gentle chiropractic care  is more comfortable and provides maximum benefit from minimal visits.

If you or someone you know has been in a car accident and you need gentle chiropractic treatment, call 855-509-5400 to schedule an appointment.