Auto Injury – What to Do?
Being in a car accident is a tough situation on a number of levels. Your pain is sometimes secondary to the aftermath of having your car at the mechanic, as well as the stress of dealing with your insurance and potentially missing work. But, you will likely still deal with pain from the accident. Thankfully, to heal faster, an auto injury chiropractor can help you.
While you are in a hurry to get your car fixed and back to normal activities, make sure to see your chiropractor before making any significant decisions. There could be underlying injuries that a minor stiff neck is not allowing you to uncover. A car accident is a major event, and the trauma that comes from them could be significant. You don’t want to make your injuries more severe. So, be sure you see a car accident chiropractor as soon as possible.
What is an Auto Injury Chiropractor?
An auto injury chiropractor, also called a car accident chiropractor, is a specialist in soft and hard tissue problems. These problems include the results that could come from the trauma from a car accident. A car accident chiropractor helps patients heal from their auto accident injuries. They will treat your trauma and will make sure your spine is realigned after the accident. This is vital to ensure your symptoms are not long-lasting or turn chronic. So, make sure you see your local chiropractor and get a complete examination.
Auto Injury Chiropractors and Regular Chiropractors
Many chiropractors choose to use particular techniques when they perform adjustments. They will end up treating a wide variety of patients, ranging from sports athletes and pediatric patients to auto injury patients. There are fundamental differences to keep in mind between auto injury chiropractic care and regular chiropractors.
Patients who have been involved in serious auto accidents need a special kind of help. Chiropractors specifically in the field of treating auto injuries have to look for any hidden injuries a patient may have. Hidden injuries are generally soft tissue injuries, including a sprain or strain of a patient’s muscles or ligaments. The goal of an auto injury chiropractor is to help patients to understand the full extent of their injuries better as they diagnose the injuries and treat them.
In comparison, a regular chiropractor will offer patients treatments that they need to maintain good health. It is common for people to schedule appointments with regular chiropractors for spinal adjustments. Proper spinal alignment is critical because, when this is achieved, the body will be better functioning, and it will be given a chance to heal itself naturally. Advice on exercising, sleeping, nutrition, and dieting will be provided by regular chiropractors.
The Typical Symptoms of an Auto Injury
There is a wide range of symptoms that come from auto injuries. Some of the most common whiplash symptoms include headaches, dizziness, and painful/reduced neck and back range of motion. Also, tingling and numbness in the arms and legs, fatigue & weakness are common symptoms. The truth is, many things can happen after an auto injury. It mainly depends on the severity of the accident and the patient. If you are feeling abnormal in any way, it is likely a symptom of your auto injury.
Listed below are some of the most common types of auto injuries and which symptoms are attached to them.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a neck strain that occurs during the course of impact. The most severe impact involves the head being thrown forward and backward so aggressively that it briefly leaves the neck. This type of movement is referred to as hyperextension or hyperflexion. Whiplash can generally damage the muscles, discs, ligaments, tendons, and/or facet joints in the neck. Whiplash symptoms include limited range of motion in the neck, intensifying neck pain with movement, general neck pain or stiffness, headaches, dizziness, and/or fatigue.
Back and Spinal Cord Injuries
Chronic back pain after a serious auto accident is a clear indicator you have a back injury. Strains, sprains, disc slips, and spinal fractures are all possible results of an auto accident. Injuries that target the back and spinal cord area will vary according to where the injury occurred and the severity of that injury. These injuries’ symptoms include general back pain, limited mobility and/or range of motion in the spine, weakness and/or tingling in the legs, or loss of control in the bladder and/or bowels.
Head Injuries
Auto accidents are one of the leading causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) in the United States. Injuries to the head and/or brain get the most impact following an accident and can range from being minor to severe. These injuries’ symptoms include cognitive complications, such as memory loss, concentration problems, difficulty speaking, and impairments in perception. There are also behavioral symptoms, such as mood swings, increased irritability, and anxiety. Balancing and coordination problems, headaches, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue are all common physical symptoms.
Fractures
Another common result of an auto accident is a patient sustaining bone fractures. These injuries can occur anywhere in the body, including the arms, legs, and spine. The severity of these injuries can vary depending on the location of the fractures. Symptoms of bone fracture injuries include severe pain and bruising, swelling and/or tenderness in the fracture area, and limited mobility. There are potential long-term effects of fractures, such as nerve and tissue damage, chronic pain, and permanent mobility limitations.
Florida No-Fault Law
Even if you believe you haven’t been injured due to an auto accident, it is wise to be checked out by a chiropractor. Regardless of whose fault it was for causing the accident, the Florida Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law (Florida Statutes 627.730) provides substantial coverage of your medical bills under your auto policy. Symptoms of auto injuries are typically not experienced by patients until weeks or months after the fact.
However, you only have a small window of time to initiate care with either a chiropractor, your primary care physician, an ER, or a walk-in clinic. If you don’t initiate care with any of these entities within 14 days, you will forfeit all rights to any coverage. Even if you know the intensity of the auto accident you suffered wasn’t so bad, it would be wise to seek care from someone like a chiropractor who can give you insight into your condition.
How Long Does it Take to Recover from an Auto Injury?
The healing time for auto accident-related injuries can vary from several weeks to several months. However, this depends on the severity of the damages. Additionally, the overall health of the patient at the time of the accident affects recovery time. For example, if the patient was in a minor accident and originally in excellent health, recovery time will likely be short. On the other hand, if the patient already has arthritis or bad joints, and they are in a severe accident, recovery time will be longer.
To know for sure your recovery time, see a car accident chiropractor. They will examine you to see your injuries. Also, a chiropractor is a doctor who has the necessary license to diagnose. They can tell you precisely what’s wrong and how long it will take to heal. Then, they will put you on a recovery program that is specific to your case and injuries.
How Long Should I Wait to See a Chiropractor?
After experiencing an auto accident of any kind, waiting for an injury to reveal itself would be the most dangerous and negligent thing for you to do. We recommend you and anyone else involved in the accident see a chiropractor, licensed physician, or professional healthcare provider within 72 hours after the accident. The sooner you see a chiropractor, the better. Try to maintain a check-up system if you start seeing a chiropractor immediately. The chiropractor will monitor the injury more effectively and see how it develops before issuing proper treatment.
How Can a Chiropractor Help with an Auto Injury?
Chiropractic treatment related to auto accident injuries focuses on decreasing pain and restoring normal joint function with care consisting of spinal adjustments, therapy, stretching & strengthening exercises. If you need an auto injury chiropractor, feel free to contact our team. We will gladly set you up with an appointment to get a spinal adjustment. Our team can also help you prove you do need treatment. Dr. Derek Finger will diagnose you with an injury he finds after an appointment. Our doctor has a license to practice so that he can help you with insurance dealings and proof of damages.
