Chiropractic Care for Car Accident Injuries Part II | Bellevue WA Chiropractor

Evaluating Whiplash-Associated Injury and Prognosis in Automobile Collisions at Active Spines Chiropractic

When you are involved in a car accident, it is very important that you follow up with your chiropractor or medical doctor for a detail check up at a timely manner. You might feel neck pain, back pain, headache, body soreness, tightness, fatigue, sleeplessness, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, changes in your daily routine, or more. You might only experience some of these symptoms or just minor changes but a thorough evaluation of your body and review the mechanism of injury will help you return to normal daily activities as soon as possible and prevent future chronic problems. [1]

Often time it is the minor problems that cause chronic issues later in life or cause more problems when you are in a second accident. Patient prognosis post motor vehicle accident (MVA) is related to age, number of days to reporting the collision, neck pain intensity, low back pain intensity, pain other than neck and back pain, headache before collision and recovery expectations. [5] Detail history taking regarding the speed of impact, types of car involved, direction of impact, driver's hand, arm, leg, body and head position, aware or unaware of impact, seat belt fastened or not, road condition, weather and more are needed to determine the mechanism of injury due to motor vehicle accident. 

Motor vehicle accidents (MVA) may result in intractable disability. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be as a potential cause. [2] Some patients experience afraid of driving on the road and gets nervous pretty easily. It is important to follow up with a medical doctor or a psychotherapist to evaluate and treat this condition. Cognitive-behavioural intervention and antidepressants may improve coping, ease fear, and reduce the impact of pain. [2] Patient should keep a detail record of their daily activities after the accident such as their sleep pattern, work, hobby, taking care of their child, and driving [3], [4]. Keeping good records of your improvement in daily activity level is a good way to monitor your progress.     

At Active Spines Chiropractic we offer Chiropractic care, massage therapy and exercise rehabilitation therapy for our patients. We also are up to date and thorough in our record keeping and documentation. With personal, detail and evidence based treatment plan we are here to assist you getting back to your healthy life. You can reach us at 425-818-0086.

1. Clapp JD1, Masci J, Bennett SA, Beck JG Eur J Pain. Physical and psychosocial functioning following motor vehicle trauma: relationships with chronic pain, posttraumatic stress, and medication use. 2010 Apr;14(4):418-25. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpain.2009.06.007. Epub 2009 Aug 11.

2. Kuch K1, Cox BJ, Evans RJ. Posttraumatic stress disorder and motor vehicle accidents: a multidisciplinary overview. Can J Psychiatry. 1996 Sep;41(7):429-34.

3. Friedland JF1, Dawson DR. Function after motor vehicle accidents: a prospective study of mild head injury and posttraumatic stress. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2001 Jul;189(7):426-34.
4. Duckworth MP1, Iezzi T. Chronic pain and posttraumatic stress symptoms in litigating motor vehicle accident victims. Clin J Pain. 2005 May-Jun;21(3):251-61.
5. Bohman T, Côté P, Boyle E, Cassidy JD, Carroll LJ, Skillgate E. Prognosis of patients with whiplash-associated disorders consulting physiotherapy: development of a predictive model for recovery.  BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2012 Dec 29;13:264. doi: 10.1186/1471-2474-13-264.

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

What is Personal Injury Protection | Bellevue WA Chiropractor

Car Accident Injury and Personal Injury Protection

What is Personal Injury Protection  | Bellevue WA Chiropractor

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage explained from Washington State Office of Insurance Commissioner. Personal injury protection is coverage under your auto insurance policy that will pay your medical bills, wage loss, loss of services and funeral expenses. PIP applies no matter who is at fault. But there are some situations when it does not apply. Please see the Insurance Commissioner website for detail.

I highly recommend you to add PIP coverage in your auto insurance policy if you do not have it yet. The cost of PIP coverage varies with each company. Usually it is pretty affordable. The basic coverage is $10,000.00 and the higher coverage is $25,000.00. It is good up to 3 years after you open your claim. With PIP coverage it is easier for you to get immediate medical or chiropractic care after your car accident because you do not have to pay out of pocket. It also covers wage loss if you miss work due to pain.

If you are in an accident you should open a PIP claim right away, it does not matter if you are at fault or not. If someone hit you, you should open a PIP claim with your insurance company, even though it is not your fault. If you hit someone you can open a PIP claim as well for chiropractic/medical treatment. Opening a PIP claim will not increase your insurance premium.

All you need to do is call your insurance company and they will open the claim for you. Just simply provide your chiropractor or medical doctor your claim number, insurance phone number, police report if you have, and any supporting document you have when you schedule the appointment. For more information about Auto Insurance you can check out Washington State Office of Insurance Commissioner website or call them at 1-800-562-6900. Last you can find out more about chiropractic care for car accident injuries here, or just call 425-818-0086 and we can help you :)


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

2013 NW Women's Show | Bellevue WA Chiropractor

2013 Northwest Women's Show  | Bellevue WA Chiropractor

Announcement: We are going to the Women's Show again this weekend. This will be the third time for us. We will share a booth with 1st Choice Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine. Please come say hi! Complimentary chiropractic check-up and chair massage will be provided! Everyone is welcome. We help relief your stress.

Do you have neck pain or stiffness, low back pain, pain between shoulder blades, headache, tension across the top of your shoulder, and numbness/tingling in arm/hands or legs? Do you have or suffer from sports injuries, work injuries or car accident injuries? Chiropractic or massage care might be able to help you!
 
From the Host: NW Women's show! Celebrate with us!
We are now growing the GLOW of our 25th anniversary!
It will be bursting with entertainment, enlightenment & enrichment!
March 1 - 3, 2013 • CenturyLink Field Event Center • Seattle
Hours: Friday 11 - 7pm • Sat 10 - 6pm • Sun 10 - 5pm • Admission $15

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

Therapeutic Wobble Chair | Bellevue WA Chiropractor

 

What is the Wobble Chair? How does it work?

Recently I have been feeling right hip discomfort from time to time. I am not sure what trigger the problem. Since I was not in a car accident or other injuries, it is most likely from my workout or my posture. It feels like my right hip is out of alignment. I feel muscle tension around my hip muscles, around hip joint and IT band. They are a bit tight and sore comparing to my left hip. I have been doing some hip joint, gluteal muscles, piriformis muscle and IT band muscle stretching, but the muscle tension is still there and quite bothersome. I got my low back and hip adjusted of course with good relief. I also use the traction table in the clinic. But it really bothers me sometimes still. So what's next?

I try the wobble chair! I use that for 10 minutes. I sit on it and move my hip/pelvis back and forth, sideways, right/left diagonally, clockwise/counter clockwise each for 10 repetition and repeat till 10 minutes is up. During the exercise I feel the sore spot being work on and stretch out. Afterwards my right hip feels a bit loosen up and the soreness is less. Wobble chair exercise really help my hip.

According to the Pettibon system, a daily home regimen of 5-8 minutes full range of motion exercises are absolutely essential for daily metabolic interchange, nutrition intake and elimination of waste products in order to maintain healthy well-hydrated spinal discs, ligaments and tendons. (The Aging Lumbar Spine, Bernini P.M.D. et al. Saunders, 1982)  

Lastly, in the office we use the wobble chair as an pretreatment exercise to warm up the spine. The motion can increase lumbar disc mobility, disc hydration, nutrition delivery and waste elimination. Your back will adjust better and stay in alignment longer when it's warm up. Please let us know if your back is bothering you. We can help! 
 

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

Auto Collision Related Spine Injuries 2012

2012 Auto Injury related Spine Syndrome certificate

Auto Injury Related Spine Syndromes 2012

At the end of May, 2012, I finally finished the 4 module seminar presented by Dr. Dan Dock. Here is the certificate of completion from CDI. It looks pretty good, isn't it. I have been taking Dr. Dan Dock's seminar since 2007. Overall it has been a great experience. The seminar keeps me up to date with studies, researches and different treatments in auto accident injury care.

Your first visit in general:

A detailed history of your car accident bodily injuries will be taken. We have to ensure the mechanism of the injuries correlate your clinical presentation and findings. Most likely diagnostic imaging such as x-ray for your neck and back will be done in the office. Mild gentle care will also be provided on the first visit such as ice therapy and gentle chiropractic care to relief pain. Seeking medical care is also recommended for pain control. Usually your medical doctor will prescribe pain killer, anti-inflammatory and/or muscle relaxant.   

What we provide in the clinic:

1. Sports medicine chiropractic care: a combination of athletic training with chiropractic treatment.
2. On site massage therapy: medical, therapeutic, deep tissue, Swedish and lymphatic massages
3. Diagnostic imaging x-ray 
4. In office exercise therapy for your neck and back to strengthen your muscles.
5. Custom made orthotics(inserts) for your feet

 Why we are not your average clinic:

1. Advanced training in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of auto accident related injuries.
2. Experienced in effective communication with insurance companies and attorneys
3. Highly recommended by attorneys in the Puget Sound area
4. Detailed documentation of your injuries, which present your case accurately for compensation
5. Referral network with local medical doctors for comprehensive care.

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

Auto Collision Related Spine Injuries 2012 Part I

Hi everyone~ I went to a seminar about Auto Collision Related Spine Injuries 2012 by Dr. Dan Dock, DC on Thursday, Feb 9, 2012. Here I will share some of the information that I learned from the seminar. As far as record keeping is concerned. Dr. Dock recommends hand writing notes. It has to be readable by other people as well. He also focused on incorporating an exercise program for patients to do in the office for their neck and/or back injuries.

There are ways to show the treatment is reasonable and necessary. Such as how patients activity of daily living have improved since getting care. Please be specific such as on the right or left, and which body part. And if their pain level have changed. You can use none, minimal, mild, moderate or severe to rate pain level besides using 0 to 10 scale. Mechanism of injury is the key to find out injury and to see clinical correlation. Where was the car hit? Where was the head turn? Was the foot on the break? Were arm on the steering wheel? If hit from behind, patient's body go backwards then forwards. If patient could not recall his position mostly he has light concussion, or short term amnesia. If the amnesia last for more than 2 to 4 hours, patient needs a CT scan. There might be intercranial bleeding.

If patient has gradual onset of pain following the accident. Most likely because the endorphin is slowly wearing out after the accident. If patient did not come for treatment, ask why. Is it because work, job, family or no health insurance? Look for muscle spasm and rate the level. Check for Active range of motion and passive range of motion once a month. Decreased cervical extension could be pedicle or facet fracture. Asymmetrical loss of motion could mean injury to the facet and disc. Look for sharp angulation, sharp reverse curve in cervical flexion and extension x-ray. This could mean damage to the capsule ligament, facet joint, interspinous ligament, and supraspinous ligament. If there is breakage in George's line there might be torn disc or fracture.

MRI for patient if there is distinct nerve root pattern, intense pain, something new and different, or patient is getting worse with treatment. Consider pre and post x-ray if the condition is unstable.

Care plan: update frequency of care, duration of care, exercise program, physical limitation and referrals for second opinion. Supportive care means patient's condition deteriorates without care. Maintenance care: no change in subjective and objective findings without care.

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

What is an effective treatment for neck pain: Chiropractic adjustment, exercises or medication?

Happy New Year everyone. I hope you all had a great time during the holiday season with friends and family. Hopefully you know your New Year resolution or you are working on it. I am still working on New Year resolution. Recently I read a journal article about treatment for acute or subacute neck pain. I am glad to know that chiropractic adjustment and exercises provide better result than taking pain medication.

At Active Spines Chiropractic, we provide a treatment protocol that is similar to that in the article. After detail examination and x-ray if needed, you will receive not only chiropractic adjustment but also some other manual therapy and exercise to get you better as soon as possible. We have a massage table that will relax your back before your adjustment. We will teach you how to do exercises correctly. These exercises are specifically designed for your spine to keep you active and healthy. Each treatment will last about 30 minutes which is very detail and comprehensive. Again this is to ensure that you are making a speedy recovery from your injury. Last wish you all have a great New Year. If there is anything that we can help, please give us a call at 425-818-0086. We also have a new website. Please check it out if you have time. Activespines.com

Pleas go to the link below for the original research: Spinal Manipulation, Medication, or Home Exercise With Advice for Acute and Subacute Neck Pain.

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

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

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS)- neck, shoulder, arm and hand symptoms.

Do you have neck, shoulder arm, hand numbness, tingling, pins and needles, soreness or pain? You might find this article helpful if you do.

The thoracic outlet is located between the first rib, the clavicle, and the scalene muscles. The brachial plexus and the subcalvian artery pass between the anterior and medial scalenes muscles, the first rib, and the overlying clavicle. The brachial plexus and the sbuclavian artery can be compressed as they pass between the thoracic outlet. The lower roots of the brachial plexus (C8-T1) or ulnar nerve are at high risk than the more superior roots because of their location in the plexus.

TOS is also known as scalene anticus syndrome, hyperabduction syndrome, cervical rib sundrome, costoclavicular syndrome and pectoralis minor syndrome.

Causes of TOS:

1. Mechanical: repetitive stress, overuse, poor posture, muscle spasm, decondition or artrophy.
2. Traumatic: penetration injury
   
3. Congenital: cervical rib
   
4. Vascular
5. Infeciton
6. Idiopathic
   

The symptoms include pain in the fingers, hand, forearm, arm, and shoulder. Numbness occurs most often in the fingers, hand and the forearm. You may also feel cold, weakness and skin color change. Pins and needles in arm and hand.

Conservatice treatments for TOS:

1. Self care tips: improvement in posture, office ergonomics, modification in work related posture habits, cervical traction, stretching
2. Treatment in our clinic: a few options, myofascial release technique, PIR stretching, In office posture training for cervical and thoracic spine, strengthen weak muscles, chiropractic adjustment for neck, upper back and first rib, and medical massage.

Active Spines Chiropractic Keeps Your Spine Active and Pain Free! You can contact Dr. Shao-Hao Cheng at activespines.com

Active Spines Chiropractic in Bellevue

Specialties

We specialize in treating motor vehicle accident, and work injuries. We also see patients with neck pain, back pain, sciatica, headache, and arm numbness. We offer chiropractic, massage and physiotherapy treatments.

1530 Bellevue Way SE, Ste C
(between 15th St & 14th St)
Bellevue, WA 98004

(425) 818-0086

activespines.com