Can Chiropractic Care Help After a Car Accident?

Check out this go-to guide that explains the importance of chiropractic care for accidents.

Written by CrashMD staff

Car accidents are traumatic on multiple levels. Not only is the person worried about their car and any physical injuries, they are also scared. There are several ways that the event will impact their life, especially because it wasn’t planned for, and they might not know the best way to begin the recovery process. 

Most patients think that the best option for their minor aches and pains is to just rest and see if it goes away. However, this could be making the problem worse. Or, the patient might opt for pain medication and find temporary relief, but only to find themselves taking pills for longer than they should because the root cause of pain was never addressed. 

There are a range of treatment options available to help with pain management, but an often overlooked method as a first course of action is chiropractic care. This type of alternative therapy involves adjustments, which are joint and spine manipulations that help ease body pain. Ouch, right? Nope! It can seem crazy to think that you’re going to want someone to “twist or crack” your bones when you’re in pain and can barely move or lift your leg, but chiropractic can actually be very gentle and provide immediate pain relief. 

Pain management specialists often recommend chiropractic care as part of alternative treatment methods that help to comprehensively and holistically treat the whole patient. There are a host of benefits for chiropractic care and it’s a great treatment option that the CrashMD team is happy to review with you. 

What Does Chiropractic Care Treat?

The main goal of chiropractic care in regard to accident injuries is to treat musculoskeletal injuries, which are injuries to the muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, nerves, joints, cartilage, or blood vessels. These injuries can occur in the arms, legs, head, neck, or back. The most common symptoms of musculoskeletal injuries include: 

• Stiff joints
• Fatigue
• Inflammation
• Tenderness
• Swelling
• Difficulty moving
• Limited mobility
• Muscle spasms and contractions
• Bruising and discoloration
• Tingling or numbness
• Pain that worsens with activity

If you’ve done any research into common pain treatments, you’ll find that a lot of them include pain medications as well as invasive or surgical options. Chiropractic care affords patients numerous benefits as well as effective results. 

The most common musculoskeletal injuries that can occur as a result of a car accident include: 

• Whiplash: the sudden and forcement back and forth movement on the neck can affect both the neck and shoulders and could cause a person to experience headaches, restricted motion, tenderness and pain
• Strains and sprains: what is considered a more mild injury, strains and sprains affect tendons and ligaments
• Fractures: breaks in the bone can affect small or large bones depending on the nature of the impact
• Dislocations: there is a possibility of the body, during the crash, to come into contact with the steering wheel, dashboard, door or roof, which could lead to dislocations of the shoulder, elbow, hip or knee.  
• Seat belt injuries: while seatbelts are proven to save lives, they can cause injuries to the neck, shoulder, upper back, chest and stomach due to the force of the seat belt tightening on the person’s body during the impact

While some of these issues could be considered minor, they still require treatment. There is no reason why a person should have to deal with pain, swelling and limited mobility and function in the affected area, especially when there is such an attractive treatment option with chiropractic care. Additionally, these types of injuries can be difficult to notice or pinpoint immediately after a car accident. If not treated immediately, the issue and symptoms can become worse, which is why seeking professional care after a car accident is essential for successful recovery. 

Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Pain Relief

Chiropractic care has a variety of medically-backed and research-approved benefits. So why don’t more people utilize chiropractic care for pain relief? Unfortunately in a world of medication-based treatment options, some alternative treatments get overlooked. Possibly because their benefits are not understood, or patients never received chiropractic care before in their life so why opt for it now, etc. This is just another reason why partnering with a pain management specialist is so important. They are able to accurately diagnose your injury and symptoms and recommend the best course of treatment, which could include alternative therapies such as chiropractic care, acupuncture and massages. The goal is to achieve pain relief with the most comfortable and minimally-invasive techniques possible, and a great place to start is with an adjustment. 

The main benefits of chiropractic care include: 

• Chronic pain relief: the most common chronic pain caused by a car accident is in the neck, lower back, and shoulder, and chiropractic care can help to target the root of the problem and reduce any long-term pain
• Drug-free and non-invasive: chiropractic care is a non-invasive and drug-free holistic treatment option that affords patients the benefits of relief without any side effects. By effectively treating the injury, patients are able to reduce their need for any additional care, but can be a benefit in and of itself. 
• Improved mobility and range of motion: by properly aligning the spine and musculoskeletal system, chiropractors can help to restore range of motion in the neck and limbs, which helps to provide increased quality of life, mobility and flexibility
• Reduced scar tissue: even if an injury has healed, the leftover scar tissue can lead to painful symptoms that could last for years. That is, of course, if not treated. Chiropractic care can help to break up scar tissue that can form in muscles and tendons after an accident, which helps to alleviate any painful complications from the recovery process. 
• Avoid future injuries: by addressing structural imbalances and weaknesses that were caused by the car accident, or even just generally helping to improve a person’s overall alignment, the body can be that much stronger and capable, which helps to avoid future accidents and subsequent injuries. 
• Posture: if the muscles and ligaments that help to support the spine became injured as a result of the car accident, this can lead the patient to have poor posture. Chiropractic care can help to strengthen these weakened areas and improve your posture, which helps patients to improve overall health and reduce downtime. 
• Improvements in fewer visits: while other methods, such as physical therapy, can take multiple visits before the patient experiences significant relief, chiropractic care can help improve pain symptoms as soon as one visit. Not only does this mean quicker pain relief, but also faster improvements in range of motion, reduced inflammation, and a quicker start toward better overall health. 

The best way to take advantage of the benefits of chiropractic care is to schedule an appointment with a chiropractor within two weeks of your car accident or traumatic injury. But, the step before this is partnering with a pain management specialist who can determine if chiropractic care is the best course of treatment for your particular pain issue and symptoms. 

How Does Chiropractic Care Actually Work for Pain Management?

Chiropractic care helps to relieve pain by working to realign the spine. This not only helps to improve the body’s function, but can also reduce stress and relieve tension. Chiropractors use a variety of techniques to specifically treat acute and chronic pain, which include:

• Spinal manipulation: applying pressure and massage techniques to move the spine and joints back into their natural state/location. This helps to target the specific location and source of pain, as well as to improve range of motion and function. 
• Manual therapies: trigger point therapy (focusing on the “knot” in the muscle), myofascial release (constant massage to release tightness), and general massage can all help to release tension in the muscles, ligaments and tendons around the spine that are contributing to chronic pain sensations
• Rehabilitative exercise: chiropractors know all too well about the benefits of holistic approach and could suggest certain exercises and movements to help strengthen the muscles around the spine. This helps to alleviate pain as well as improve the body’s ability to avoid future accidents. 
• Lifestyle improvements: the food, nutrients and water we ingest all directly correlate with our body’s ability to heal from within. Improving diet, exercise, sleep habits and mindfulness habits all help to reduce chronic pain and improve overall lifestyle.

During the actual appointment, the chiropractor will focus on a series of adjustments to help realign the spine and improve the musculoskeletal system. They will apply a controlled, sudden force to the joints in their body, specifically those in the spine, using their hands or small hand-held instruments. This movement, which pushes the joints past their usual range of motion, releases gas from the joint, and could sound like a popping, cracking or crunching sound. This helps to relieve discomfort as well as improve mobility. 

While this might sound like it would hurt, especially if you’re already in pain, chiropractic adjustments offer little to no pain. After your treatment, your chiropractor might recommend additional self care techniques to ensure you’re getting the most out of your adjustment. This could include: 

• Exercises
• Stretches
• Focusing on improving posture
• Ice/heat therapy
• Diet/lifestyle improvements
• Stress management
• Tips for relaxing muscles

Overall, chiropractic care is a fantastic drug-free option that can be used with additional alternative or conservative treatment options with the goal to help the patient experience total mind and body pain relief. 

If you are suffering from pain and would like to know more information about how chiropractic care can benefit you, please reach out to the CrashMD team today. We are confident that between our accurate diagnosis and our chiropractic partners that we can provide you with efficient, effective and comfortable comprehensive care that will benefit you now and for years to come.