It’s estimated that more than 7.3 million Americans will report experiencing a motor vehicle accident in 2019 based on recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration findings, and about 2.5 million of those involved will unfortunately be injured. After the immediate emergency of the situation, ensuring a fast recovery has everything to do with quickly receiving an accurate diagnosis of injury and appropriate care. When it comes to successful recuperation after an accident, could calling a chiropractor be your best bet?
Emergency Room for Emergency Care
Typically, individuals involved in car accidents are rushed to emergency rooms to treat or rule out acute and life-threatening injuries. In many cases, this can be a necessary and life-saving course of treatment. However, most people are still reeling in the adrenaline and endorphin high of the trauma, which is a hormonal defense mechanism produced by the body to provide enough energy and pain control to move yourself out of harm’s way. It’s not until days and even weeks later that high subsides, and the true extent of injury presents itself as pain and disability.
Car Accident Injuries in the Body
Although some impacts result in “hard” injuries like broken bones, most of the time people experience complications with the soft tissues in the body. Because of the tremendous forces at work in a car accident, the body is typically thrown from a stationary position into rapid movement, and stopped again quickly by impact with the dash, the door, or a seatbelt. In many cases, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and other soft tissues experience the most trauma, and unfortunately this can be the most difficult thing to accurately assess in a hospital setting. Also, some injuries result in immediate swelling, and swollen tissue can hide damage in diagnostic tests like X-rays or MRIs.
The Importance of Aftercare
Seeking care in a chiropractic clinic after a car accident could save you weeks and months of pain and discomfort. According to a University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill study, it was found that about 10% of those injured in car accidents will go on to develop chronic pain in the 6 weeks after injury. In many cases, an improperly diagnosed injury goes untreated, and as the body struggles to compensate for damage, painful imbalances are caused. Chiropractic care immediately after an accident will allow your body to be gently manipulated and rehabilitated into balance, preventing and alleviating pain.
Have You Experienced a Recent Car Accident?
Meeting with a chiropractor after a car accident may be one of the most important steps you can take on the road to recovery. At Envista Medical, we’re dedicated to helping you recuperate from the trauma of the incident by providing complete injury care, including chiropractic adjustments, spinal decompression, physiotherapy, and more.
Contact us at your earliest convenience to learn more about receiving an individualized, comprehensive plan for moving on without pain.