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Month: January 2021

Auto Injury Chiropractor FAQs

After experiencing a car accident, you may suffer from an injury that requires special attention. No matter how severe the damage is, it is recommended that you seek chiropractic treatment. However, you may have some questions to ask your local auto injury chiropractor if you are unsure about the chiropractic process. Solutions to treat your condition will vary, but it’s your decision to make on what kind of treatment is best for you. The following are frequently asked questions that auto injury chiropractors typically receive.

What level of education do chiropractors have?

Chiropractors serve as doctors and primary-contact health care providers. They have been through a rigorous education curriculum that is approved by the Council on Chiropractic Education and accredited by the U.S. Department of Education.

The diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect the muscles, ligaments, and joints of the spine and extremities, including the connecting nerves, is a primary focus in the chiropractic courses of study. Chiropractors typically obtain four years of pre-medical undergraduate college education experience before they attend chiropractic school. Courses such as biology, chemistry, physics, and psychology are all part of chiropractic school.

An auto injury chiropractor will typically study for as much as five years at a chiropractic college. They all get an education in specialties such as orthopedics, physiology, anatomy, neurology, clinical diagnosis, and diagnostic imaging.

Are adjustments safe?

Injured woman from auto accidentIt is crucial to keep in mind that chiropractic care is a type of therapy that is non-invasive and drug-free. No medical treatment of any kind is entirely risk-free. However, chiropractic options have a proven track record of being safe and only present minimal risk to you, the patient. Mild stiffness or soreness after an adjustment is common amongst patients, but this condition will generally cease within 24 hours.

Cervical manipulation, or a neck adjustment, treats neck pain and headaches. The goal of this procedure is to improve joint mobility and range of motion in the neck. These kinds of techniques assist in alleviating pressure and tension.

I’ve seen my medical doctor at the hospital, so why should I see a chiropractor?

If your injury is from an auto accident, you should get an evaluation by a doctor who focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of such injuries. A hospital’s Emergency Room is available to ensure that there is no life-threatening problem. You usually don’t receive treatment in an ER for any damaged biomechanical and soft tissue problems, which can result in future disability and pain.

Medical doctors typically prescribe pain pills and other anti-inflammatory drugs that only serve as a temporary band-aid for the problem. Chiropractors are doctors that understand the soft tissue healing process. Additionally, they know that the process does not involve the consumption of any drugs.

Do chiropractors take X-Rays?

Female with auto injury

Chiropractors that are willing to take x-rays before they give you a chiropractic adjustment are chiropractors you can trust. X-rays assist in ruling out fractures while also determining the health of the joints and discs. X-rays also provide an estimate on the length of time it will take for you to recover. In addition, it estimates which chiropractic techniques will give you the best chance of recovery.

An auto injury chiropractor who is unwilling to take x-rays and will instead go right into an adjustment is not conducting enough research concerning your injury or pain condition. Though not taking x-rays saves money and time, you may not receive the proper treatment you need to recover completely. For example, if you suffered a fracture and don’t know about it, your injury could become worse after having a chiropractic adjustment. It is always best that you ask chiropractors to take x-rays before they perform any adjustments.

What are common auto injury chiropractic techniques?

Auto injury chiropractors can use several different techniques for adjusting their patients. However, in some cases, your chiropractor may only be proficient in one particular technique. The main drawback to this type of chiropractor is that one approach may not be sufficient enough to treat the condition that you have.

Auto injury chiropractor

As a patient, find out how much experience your chiropractor has in performing multiple techniques. If the auto injury chiropractor performs more than one technique, they will provide the right treatment for your needs.

There are many different chiropractic techniques that can be performed to treat auto injuries. There is a defined list of commonly used methods, according to the Job Analysis of Chiropractic. The most frequently used technique on this list is the Diversified Technique, which involves a high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust that leads to the cavitation of a joint. These thrusts are quick and shallow and cause the popping noise that often comes with a standard chiropractic adjustment.

A variation of the Diversified Technique is the Thompson Technique, which uses several segments called dropped pieces. This technique can move up a fraction of an inch. So, when the chiropractor applies pressure, the special table will drop this fraction. The thrust is aided by the drop pieces, while the required force for the adjustment is minimized.

A lesser-known technique is the Pierce-Stillwagon Technique, which uses a drop table for prone pelvic adjusting or adjusting in the cervical region. Chiropractors use x-rays and thermography to decide which spinal levels need adjustments.

If I need treatment for an auto injury, am I responsible for payment?

In most cases, you are not responsible. Only on rare occasions do you have to pay for chiropractic treatment. In most cases, chiropractors will wait until you settle your case with an attorney, providing care with no strings attached. Some insurance policies have what is referred to as Med Pay. This will pay the full amount of medical bills up to a certain limit.

Who should I see first? My attorney? Or my auto injury chiropractor?Auto injury chiropractor patient

It is essential to use common sense when you decide whether or not you should receive chiropractic care. If your attorney recommends that you see a chiropractor first, he or she is generally not wrong in making that suggestion. Although, it does raise questions of what is the relationship between your attorney and that chiropractor.

Your first concern should always be your health. When you conduct research for a list of potential chiropractors, the results of your findings will give you the information you need to decide if chiropractic care is right for you. Particularly if the chiropractor your attorney sent you to does not act professional, then you have reason to fire your attorney. Depending on the extent of your injury, the information you find on what you need to do before bringing your case into court is key if you decide to hire an attorney.

Additional Questions About Auto Injury Chiropractors

 If you have any additional questions to ask regarding chiropractic care, feel free to contact us! If you have suffered an injury from an auto accident and you are seeking a chiropractor in the Pensacola area, Dr. Derek Finger can assist you in getting back on the road to recovery. Having more than 20 years of experience in treating patients with chiropractic care, Dr. Finger is a licensed chiropractic physician who provides the level of care needed for patients in their healing process.

Personal Injury Chiropractor FAQs

Whether you were recently in an accident or experience ongoing pain, chiropractic therapy is a safe, affordable treatment option that can help you heal fast without medicine or surgery. Although this treatment option is popular, many people have questions about it. We have put together our most common questions from patients. Take a look at our frequently asked questions to learn if treatment from our personal injury chiropractor is right for you.

What is a Personal Injury Chiropractor?

Chiropractic medicine concerns the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system. A personal injury chiropractic specializes in manual treatments, adjustments, and manipulations to treat and alleviate auto and work-related accidents.

The main objective of an auto injury chiropractor is to restore normal function and balance in the joints and muscles. Chiropractic treatments can shorten recovery time by reducing stress on your bones, joints, and muscles.

Is Chiropractic Therapy Safe?

Personal injury chiropractors use manual bone and joint manipulation to reduce stress and promote healing on your bones, joints, muscles, and nerves. Chiropractic care is a holistic treatment option for people with head, neck, and spine ailments. It is a proven, safe therapy for pain and discomfort in your joints and extremities. 

Why Should I See a Personal Injury Chiropractor?

Personal injury chiropractic treatment may be right for you if you have recurring pain in your head, neck, spine, or elsewhere. Additionally, it’s an excellent option for drug-free treatment. Personal injury chiropractors can also help document your personal injury for a lawsuit. At the end of the day, there are numerous reasons to visit a personal injury chiropractor.

What Qualifies as Personal Injury?Personal injury warehouse worker

Personal injury involves any immediate or ongoing bodily pain, which usually manifests with discomfort, spasms, inflammation, and stiffness. Common personal injuries that require chiropractic intervention include pain in the head, neck, shoulder, spine, chest, legs, and feet.

Head

One of the most common injuries of the head is a concussion. However, a chiropractor can’t do much to treat trauma. This is due to the fact that a concussion is a bruise; the bruise needs time to heal. However, a concussion is a personal injury from a legal perspective.

In addition to concussions, chronic headaches and migraines can be personal injuries as well. Thankfully, a personal injury chiropractor can treat them. Many times, headaches and migraines due to trauma are because of bones or tendons resting on nerves. A chiropractor can help you heal from these annoying and painful conditions.

Neck

Personal injury chiropractors are highly effective when it comes to personal neck injuries. These include whiplash, immobility, and disc misalignment. Fortunately, these are all conditions a chiropractor can assist with and help prevent long-term effects.

Shoulders

Sometimes, the shoulders are the subject to trauma after a personal injury. Some personal injuries are rotator cuff tears, tendonitis, and muscle tissue damage. From a chiropractic care perspective, they can help with tears and muscle tissue damage. By moving bones and joints away from the area with the injury, they can prevent further damage and pain.

Spine

The most common area of focus for chiropractors is the spine. Additionally, this is one of the most common places where injuries occur after accidents. Some of these common injuries are herniated discs, ruptured discs, joint damage, and nerve damage. A personal injury chiropractor can help you with each of these conditions.

Chest

If you have bruising or trouble breathing, you likely have a personal injury. From a legal perspective, you may be able to get compensation. Unfortunately, a personal injury chiropractor cannot help you with these issues.

Personal injury in snow

Legs, Knees, Feet

Some less common injuries with personal injuries are around the legs, knees, and feet. These include ligament damage and tears, ligament sprains, joint damage, and dislocated joints. In addition to these are muscle tears and fractures. Please note, chiropractic therapy cannot heal broken bones or fractures; it can heal and adjust muscles around the bone once it’s healed.

When Should I See a Chiropractor for Personal Injury?

Most people see a chiropractor after being in a car accident. This is to take precautions and avoid any permanent pain. You should see a chiropractor if you experience immediate or ongoing pain, aches, or discomfort in your head, neck, shoulders, chest, spine, or legs.

To prevent short term injuries from becoming long term issues, you should see a chiropractor immediately following an accident. We recommended receiving a consultation within three days of an accident. Injuries can surface weeks, months, or even years later after an accident from unnoticed injuries, like hairline fractures. Your chiropractor can devise an effective plan of action to minimize, relieve, and heal your pain.

Is a Personal Injury Chiropractor Right For Me?

Chiropractic treatment is a gentle, non-invasive therapy for pain and discomfort. When you visit a chiropractic office, rest assured you are visiting a team of licensed professionals whose only goal is to reduce and treat your pain without the need for drugs or surgery. By pairing their knowledge of human anatomy with manual adjustment techniques, your chiropractor can alleviate pain and shorten recovery time.

Back pain

However, not all chiropractors are the same. Each doctor has their own methods for evaluating accident-related injuries and treatments. It’s normal to get a second opinion for your chiropractic consultations. So, if you receive an evaluation that makes you uncomfortable or your current chiropractor does not offer alternative treatment solutions, we recommend you find a chiropractor that better aligns with your needs. 

Can a Personal Injury Chiropractor Prove My Injuries?

Many new patients want to know if their chiropractor can aid their insurance claims by validating their injuries. Chiropractic treatment can support your personal injury insurance claim by:

  • Verifying new, worsened, or pre-existing injuries
  • Increasing the value of your settlement
  • Working with your insurance settlement adjuster

Your chiropractor can identify your injuries during your first consultation with a physical evaluation and X-ray. The most common injuries of car and work-related accidents are:

  • Concussions
  • Broken bones
  • Whiplash
  • Back and chest pain
  • Sciatica
  • Joint sprains

To make your insurance claim as strong as possible, be sure to receive a chiropractic evaluation as soon as possible after an accident.

How Much Does a Personal Injury Chiropractor Cost?

Chiropractic care is considerably more affordable compared to drug therapy, physical therapy, and surgery. Many chiropractors offer free comprehensive consultations to ensure you find a doctor that’s right for you. Your chiropractor can answer any questions regarding your accident, injuries, insurance, and treatment options. 

The cost of your chiropractic care will vary depending on your insurance and settlement rewards. Your chiropractor can also help you identify services covered by insurance. You can ask your chiropractor to work with your injury attorney on a lien basis so you won’t be held responsible for paying any bills.

Construction personal injury

There’s no need to worry if you have an outstanding balance after insurance adjustments. Many chiropractic practices have flexible repayment options for patients of all income levels. 

How Long is Chiropractic Treatment For An Injury?

Your length and frequency of chiropractic care will vary depending on the location, severity, and number of your injuries. Your injury chiropractor will give you an estimate for how long your body will need to heal. The goal for your first 30 days of care is to experience a 50% reduction in pain. Additionally, every time you report a 50% decrease in pain, your chiropractic treatment sessions will be cut in half.

Here is a quick guide for injury type and length of care:

  • Minor muscle strains often heal within weeks. 
  • Muscle tears that require surgery will take a few months to heal. 
  • Non-surgical bone injuries heal within six to eight weeks.
  • Surgically repaired bones require three to four months to heal completely.
  • Injuries with disc and cartilage damage take at least three months to heal.

What Should I Expect From Personal Injury Chiropractic Treatment?

Your first visit with your chiropractor should be a straightforward consultation with an exam and, if necessary, X-rays. Your chiropractor will collect information regarding your accident and medical history to assess the severity of your injuries.

The personal injury chiropractor will want to learn about the location and duration of your pain and injury. So, during your first visit, your chiropractor will go over a specialized treatment plan based on their assessment of your injuries. Additionally, your chiropractor will include the length, cost, and adjustments particular to your case.

What Do I Need To Do Before Going to a Personal Injury Chiropractor?

Know Your Insurance

Personal injury chiropractor-2-2

Do not accept treatment that is ineligible for the coverage your doctor deems necessary. Confirm in writing any coverage you have for chiropractic treatment.

See Your Doctor ASAP

Your doctor can help determine if out-of-coverage treatment is necessary. So, get a physical exam and collect all documentation about pre-existing injuries that may have worsened from the injury. Also, be sure to ask for a referral to a chiropractor; a doctor’s referral will add authority and urgency to your injury claim.

Gather Your Documentation

Bring all medical documents regarding your injuries so your chiropractor can help you with your treatment and settlements as efficiently as possible.

Work Within Your State’s Statute of Limitations

Being proactive will strengthen your case by demonstrating the severity of your damages and your urgency to remedy them. Contact your insurance, doctor, and chiropractor as soon as possible, even if your injuries are not felt or seen right away.

How Can I Document My Injury with a Personal Injury Chiropractor?

Fortunately, chiropractic treatment can reinforce your settlement cases. A diligent chiropractor can help prove the verity of your injuries with:

Medical Assessments

A chiropractor can prove your injuries from an accident using their reports of the location and severity of your injuries. These reports include photos, diagrams, and X-rays. Specifically, they can diagnose your injury to help you make your case.

Treatment Records

To show your injury is real and ongoing, a chiropractor can document the actions taken to ease your pain and suffering. Appointment follow-up notes can also serve as a benchmark for your recovery timeline. So, their treatment records can be very resourceful when proving a personal injury.

Personal injury slipBilling Records

To show your treatments were necessary and reasonable, a reputable chiropractor can provide treatment descriptions, dates, billing codes, and charges. So, this is yet another benefit of working with a chiropractor. It can be very helpful to prove you have sought out treatment.

You can also prove the at-fault party’s liability by pairing your chiropractor’s reports with documentation from your primary care doctor. Some examples of proving new or worsened injuries include managing paid with prescription medication. Additionally, they can prove injuries when you need a specialist for alternative therapy for your injuries.

How Do I Find a Personal Injury Chiropractor?

Finding the right chiropractor should be a quick and easy process. But, the best way to find a good chiropractor is to call the office and speak with the doctor. Fortunately, a short phone call conversation gives you the opportunity to feel out the chiropractor’s personality and his or her general practice preferences. On the other hand, you can schedule a consultation with the chiropractor to get an even better idea of their services.

Here is a list of questions we encourage you to ask your prospective chiropractor:

  • What should I expect during my consultation? A reliable chiropractor will provide you with a thorough physical examination, including a review of findings and an explanation of your treatment options.
  • How long have you been in practice? Asking this question allows you to assess their general confidence and skill level. Additionally, it can test their honesty and reliability.
  • What should I expect during my first session? An experienced chiropractor can help relieve some anxiety if you’ve never been adjusted before. Also, if you are nervous about being adjusted, they can help you relax. 
  • Can you help me prove my injuries? Your chiropractor should be able to give you a list of practices and documents. So, that way they can aid your personal injury case. 

Ensure you voice all of your concerns to the chiropractor and don’t hesitate to ask him or her any questions you have. A good chiropractor will spend time with you answering all of your questions, and they will cater your treatment and care to your concerns. So, don’t feel hesitant to ask them questions.

Conclusion

If you are interested in a free consultation or need help finding a chiropractor in your area, contact us today! We want to help relieve your pain and close your settlements as soon as possible!

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