Car accidents can happen without any warning, which may leave you in shock and numb even after the incident has passed. There are certain types of injuries that you’ll know right away if you have them, such as broken bones. However, there are also more subtle injuries, such as whiplash, that won’t show any symptoms until much later. Thus, it’s easy to think that you are fine and leave without getting medical attention. It’s important to have yourself checked by a car accident chiropractor in Lehi right away after an accident.
Common Car Accident Injuries
Injuries from car accidents are wide and varied, but the most common ones are the following.
- Whiplash
- Herniated disc
- Neck injuries
- Displaced spine bone fragments
- Soft tissue injuries
- Car Accident Injury Symptoms
Whiplash is one of the most common car accident injuries reported because of the body’s natural reaction to jerk violently back and forth during a collision. When this happens, micro-tears can develop in the surrounding ligaments. Early detection and treatment are important to avoid long-term pain and discomfort. However, whiplash symptoms usually present themselves 24 to 48 hours after the accident. When the symptoms start to manifest, people don’t immediately associate them with the accident because of the time that has passed. Some symptoms of whiplash you need to watch out for are:
- Neck pain
- Back pain
- Shoulder pain
- Headaches
- Arm pain
- Blurred vision
- Dizziness
- Neck stiffness
- Panic attacks
- Anxiety
Scar tissue may start to develop if whiplash begins to heal without proper treatment, which can seriously affect your range of motion, especially if the alignment of the spine is affected. Hence, if you suspect that you may be suffering from whiplash, do not hesitate to seek immediate treatment. A chiropractor should be able to correctly set your spine alignment to prevent spinal degeneration.
How Soon After a Car Accident Should You See a Chiropractor?
Pain is a good indication that you are suffering from an injury. Pain that you may experience can include shoulder, neck, arm, back, and wrist pain. However, some injuries do not show immediate signs, and the trauma from the accident may leave you numb from the pain of your injuries. It’s very important that you visit a chiropractor as soon as possible after your accident to have your injuries assessed and documented, even if there is no pain.
Benefits of Chiropractic Care After a Car Accident
Chiropractors are trained to help car accident victims heal faster and prevent them from developing long-term pain. They work closely with their patients to target and treat the root source of the pain. Through spinal adjustments, they can help restore their patient’s range of motion and encourage long-term health and healing, as well as relieve their patients of their pain by encouraging faster healing of the soft tissue injuries.
If you ignore your car accident injuries and their symptoms or wait too long to have them treated, you risk developing long-term damage to your body. Chiropractic care offers a non-invasive and drug-free solution to help alleviate the pain. Don’t ignore the pain. Talk to a chiropractor to know more about how they can help relieve your pain.
