In the United States alone, over 6 million people experience auto injuries each year. Even at low speed, many of these injuries can result in pain. The reason is that frequently, the force of an auto accident creates abnormal motion in your body, tearing ligaments and soft muscle tissue. If you have been injured in a car crash, chiropractic care can quickly help relieve your pain.
What Happens to your body in an auto accident
A car accident can compromise the integrity of your head, neck and spine, as the structures can tear and/or become over-stretched. Frequently, you may not feel soreness immediately. However, as the soft tissue becomes inflamed and irritated, you may wake up the next morning with a very uncomfortable, stiff neck and back. Soreness and tenderness is an indication that you have incurred damage to the muscles and ligaments of your spine and neck.
Your body will begin to heal your auto injury by sending white blood cells to the damaged area, as well as by prohibiting normal motion. The next step in healing is that your body will begin to lay scar tissue to repair the injured area. The problem with scar tissue in your neck and spine, however, is that it decreases the mobility in areas that are already inherently restricted in range of motion. Scar tissue can permanently limit your flexibility, cause chronic pain, and can even contribute to early degeneration of the spinal joints.
Neck Injuries
The most common auto injury is what is known as whiplash. Whiplash is sudden movement of the head and neck, which can cause serious damage to the muscles and ligaments in the neck. It is characterized by generalized neck pain and swelling. Paralysis of the vocal cords is a fairly common side effect of whiplash.
Back Injuries
Back injuries, such as a herniated disk or damage to the spinal column, are not uncommon as the result of an auto injury as well. People may experience reduced sensation and control over their arms, hands, legs and feet as a result of nerve damage in their spine.
Why Chiropractic Care for Auto Accidents?
Early chiropractic intervention for your auto injury increases the range of motion in the damaged area(s), protecting you against scar tissue forming. Chiropractic care works by restoring the natural healing functions of your body, without resorting to risky surgeries or drugs.
Chiropractic Care Reduces Inflammation
A chiropractor can manipulate your spine, helping your body produce and distribute natural anti-inflammatory agents the created naturally in your muscles as a response to trauma.
Chiropractic Care Restores Range of Motion
When your body swells due to inflammation, the healing process is slowed because nutrient-rich blood can’t access the areas they need to access. Chiropractic care after an auto injury will help mobilize your spine, allowing the blood to flow normally and bring nutrients to the damaged areas. This will help healing process progress far faster than without chiropractic care.
Chiropractic Care Reduces Scar Tissue
A chiropractor will target the damaged areas, breaking up scar tissue faster for the injured person much faster than someone who has not had chiropractic care.
Chiropractic care is a proven, safe, and effective way to recover from an auto injury. Many clinical studies demonstrate that prompt chiropractic treatment after a car collision is correlated with a far better outcome than for patients who wait to get help for their injuries. If you are in pain and are suffering as the result of an auto injury, call us today at 978-263-WELL (9355) to make an appointment.
