After a car accident, you are likely to experience a lot of pain, and you may struggle to find any solace from it. Your doctor likely won’t prescribe any pain medication and may suggest you seek alternative treatments. If you are experiencing pain and are looking for a way to alleviate this discomfort, you should see a chiropractor after a car accident. 

A chiropractor can perform many treatments to help calm irritation and inflammation. If you have been in a car accident and are seeking chiropractic care to treat discomfort, our experts at Elite Chiropractic have compiled a list of injuries they can help you recover from and what they can do to improve your symptoms. 

Common Car Accident Injuries

There are many common injuries that you may experience after being in a car accident. The unexpected trauma, no matter how minor, can leave you feeling incredibly uncomfortable for weeks afterward. The most common injuries following a car accident that your chiropractor can help you recover from include the following:

• Whiplash
• Concussion
• Back Pain
• Shoulder Injuries
• Herniated Discs 

While some of these injuries require immediate medical attention, there are many injuries you may receive during a car accident that your physician cannot address. They may suggest you take it easy and allow time to heal you. However, there are many injuries that chiropractic care can help alleviate more quickly. 

1. Whiplash

Whiplash is a common neck injury when your head is suddenly thrust backward and forward. This rapid movement forces the muscles and ligaments in the neck to hyperextend. It can occur after a car accident or sports injury. People with whiplash often experience neck stiffness, arm, shoulder, and back pain, and dizziness. 

While whiplash is incredibly irritating and can make everyday life difficult, it is important to remember that a chiropractor can help you relieve some of the discomfort you are experiencing. These treatments can include spinal decompression and corrections. Your chiropractor will identify misaligned neck joints and reposition them to allow more comfort. They will also use gentle manipulation to decrease pain and inflammation. 

2. Concussion

A concussion is a head injury that, similarly to whiplash, occurs when your experience a hit to the head that causes the brain and head to move rapidly back and forth. The damage from a concussion may vary from person to person; however, the sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce or twist around, causing chemical changes and damage to brain cells. You may experience headaches, nausea, dizziness, or light and sound sensitivity if you receive a concussion after a car accident. 

Often, the first thing a chiropractor will recommend when you receive a concussion is plenty of rest. This rest period is often enough to alleviate many of your symptoms. However, your doctor may also recommend you take anti-inflammatory medications to help reduce irritation from headaches. If you are hoping to see a chiropractor after a concussion, they may do treatments that focus on pain in your neck and back, including mobility and decompression therapies. 

3. Back Pain

Back pain after a car accident is not uncommon and can come in many different forms. Some of this pain can come from damaged muscles and tissues; other pain can accompany other injuries, including whiplash and concussions. If you have back pain after a car accident, you may experience muscle spasms, mobility problems, and loss of balance. 

There are many ways that a chiropractor can help relieve back pain following a car accident, and you may go through several different treatments to properly reduce the pain. One of the most common treatments for back pain is spinal correction. With spinal correction, a chiropractor may shift and correct your spine, restoring mobility and eliminating pain. They may also suggest decompression to lengthen the spine. 

4. Shoulder Injuries

There are several ways that you can injure your shoulder following a car accident. The most common forms of shoulder injuries after a car accident include soft tissue damage and broken bones. Following this injury, you may experience a limited range of motion and prolonged discomfort. 

If you have recently been in an accident and are looking for help to alleviate shoulder pain following your injury, a chiropractor can help you in several ways. They will likely begin by realigning the spine. Once that has been done and you’ve regained more range of motion, they may teach you several exercises to lengthen and strengthen the muscles in your shoulders to reduce the chance of future injuries. 

5. Herniated Discs

Located between the bones of your spine are soft, rubbery discs that act as a shock absorber and allow for mobility. However, when the disc pushes through the cracks, you experience a herniated disc. After a car accident, you may experience a herniated disc that pinches your nerves, making mobility difficult. You may also experience numbness or tingling in your extremities, muscle weakness, and numbness. 

The treatment of back injuries, including herniated discs, is the most common therapy provided by chiropractors. To treat a herniated disc, a chiropractor may perform a variation of services. These treatments include spinal corrections and decompressions, laser therapies, vibration plate therapy, and spinal traction therapy. These treatments should help you improve your spine’s health and reduce any inflammation you have experienced. 

See A Chiropractor At Elite Chiropractic After A Car Accident

After a car accident, it is important that you do all you can to relieve discomfort. By going to a chiropractor, you can treat this pain and find ways to strengthen your muscles to prevent future injuries. Our team at Elite Chiropractic is confident that we can help you recover from any injuries you have experienced quickly. If you are interested in scheduling an appointment after a car accident or would like to speak to a member of our team, call our Wenatchee, WA office today.