When To See A Chiropractor for Your Auto Injury

If you’ve been in a car accident, is there really a need for a Lancaster chiropractor? Isn’t it enough to go to the hospital and/or see a medical doctor at a clinic?

Interestingly, some people may receive a little ‘grace’ and not feel any pain from an auto injury for the first few days after an accident. This is because the body produces endorphins in the brain that numb areas that may have been affected by an auto injury. The effect wears off in a few days or in some cases, it shows up a few weeks later.

Taking this into consideration, it’s an excellent idea to see a chiropractor to get evaluated for an auto injury as soon as possible after a car accident.

Here’s another reason why:  Car accidents are notorious for causing whiplash in all passengers involved in the accident — not just the driver. This especially happens when there’s been a rear-end collision. At the point of impact, the force of one vehicle hitting another is transferred to the passengers inside the car.

The first thing that happens is that the normal S-shape of your cervical spine becomes distorted. It flattens on the lower part of your neck while your upper cervical spine bend forward. As this is occurring, the ligaments and tendons of your neck are stretched beyond what they can handle. Your muscles jump in to the rescue and tighten to prevent any further damage. (This is when they get strained or sprained.)

How effective your muscles were in preventing further damage depends on your position and where you were sitting in the car at the time of the collision. If you are a passenger, you’re likely to have an auto injury more serious than the driver who saw the impending danger.

If you're suffering from whiplash or neck pain after an auto accident, don't delay treatment. Doing so could cause unnecessary pain or lead to development of chronic symptoms. Contact your Lancaster chiropractor Dr. Palmer to start feeling better after your auto injury today!

 

Source:

Murphy, D.R. Normal function of the cervical spine II: Neurophysiology and stability.  Conservative Management of Cervical Spine Syndromes. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1999:45-70.

Hardler, S., Veilleux, M., Suissa, S. The effect of sociodemographic and crash-related factors on the prognosis of whiplash. J Clin Epidemiol 1998 May;51(5):377-84.