What to do after car accident? Is Chiropractic care right for you?

Life is stressful enough. Getting into a car accident is the last thing everyone wants. It is not fun. It will give you more stress since you have to deal with the insurance company, get your car repaired, settle the car accident claim and seek medical attention. There are lots of things that need to be taking care of but there is not much time left from your busy life. With these little things stress adds up even more, you feel not only miserable but also suffering aches and pains. So what should you do next?

But the good news is chiropractic care might be able to help you! Do I need to see the doctor if I am not bleeding, if I do not have broken bones, cuts or bruises? Yes! You should definitely have a check up by a doctor who is specialized in treating ligametous musculo-skeletal injuries (soft tissue injuries). Un-diagnosed or treated post motor vehicle injuries tend to lead to future chronic aches and pains. Study shows even 40% of patient who under gone treatment develop chronic long term problems. Therefore even though you only feel slight discomfort over your neck or back, you should still get checked out by a chiropractor.

Neck pain after car accident? You might have whiplash injury. Study have shown that a trauma to the cervical spine may accelerate normal age related deterioration of the discs[1]. The cervical intervertebral discs may be at risk for injury during whiplash because of excessive disc strain[2]. In the previous studies, the most common site of disc injury was C5-C6. During a rear ended impact, even at low speed, your spine undergoes deformation during the early part of whiplash acceleration [3]. This happens before your neck muscles start to contract and protect your neck. As a result your neck and/or back joint get jammed and sprain. This will not only damage the joint, capsule, but cause early degeneration of cervical disc. Therefore it is imperative to see a doctor who is familiar with treating post auto accident injuries.

Area of concern after automobile accident: wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome), elbow, shoulder (rotator cuff injuries), neck (whiplash), upper back, low back, chest, hip, knee, and foot (fallen arch syndrome). A detail chiropractic, orthopedic, physical and neurological exam will be done for the first visit. We also have onsite x-ray for diagnostic imaging study especially for the cervical region. We use multidisciplinary treatment protocols for whiplash related injuries such as chiropractic care, massage, traction, heat or cold therapy, manual therapy, exercise therapy for the neck, shoulder, knee and back. Massage therapy is very effective in helping your body recovering from car accident injuries. Our massage therapists are specialized in medical therapeutic massage.

Besides comprehensive chiropractic, rehab and massage treatment in our clinic. We also coordinate care with other health care providers during your treatment. We work closely with your family doctor, acupuncturist, physical therapist, physiatrist, neurologist, and radiologist to name a few. Multi-specialty care will make sure that you have a speedy recovery without surprises. Delaying check up or treatment can lead to long term problem. I am sure that is not what you want. Call us at 425-818-0086 right after your car accident. We are here to answer your questions and help you get back to your normal life!

Active Spines Chiropractic Keeps Your Spine Active and Pain Free! You can contact Dr. Shao-Hao Cheng at 425-818-0086 or info@activespines.com

1. Pettersson K, Hildingsson C, Toolanen G, et al. Spine, 1997 Disc Pathology After Whiplash Injury; 22(3):283-288
2. Panjabi M, Ito S, Pearson A, et al. Spine 2004 Injury Mechanisms of the Cervical Intervetebral Disc During Stimulated Whiplash; 29(11):1217-1225.
3. Tencer A, Mirza S, Bensel K. Spine 2001 Response of Human Volunteers to Rear-End Impacts; 26(22):2432-2442. November 15, 2001