Vehicle drivers and passengers often minimize or forget just how dangerous a ride in an automobile can be. A vehicle is a heavy metal shell that becomes an increasingly unforgiving mass as its speed rises. All bodies inside the vehicle become projectiles within a larger, heavier projectile, and little thought is given to the increasing momentum and force that can easily damage spines and body tissues. In the instance of an accident involving two or more vehicles, the combined momentums of each vehicle exponentially multiply the forces to which bodies are subjected. For example, a vehicle rolling into an obstruction at just 15 km/h creates enough force to injure a neck and back, whereas most motor vehicle accidents occur at greater speed, and include other vehicles each moving at their individual rates of speed.
Motor vehicle accidents often result in several conditions that can be treated through chiropractic care.
CONCUSSION
While traditionally associated with ‘a bump on the head’, many of the symptoms of concussion can actually be attributed to trauma to the upper cervical (neck) vertebrae. Chiropractic treatment assists the body to repair subluxations caused by the accident, alleviating injury symptoms and allowing the body to properly heal.
For more information on the chiropractic treatment of concussions, read our blog post on the concussion-sublimation complex.
WHIPLASH
Whiplash is an injury that occurs when the head is thrown backward and/or forward suddenly, causing trauma to the neck and brain. This type of injury occurs most commonly to occupants when a vehicle is rear-ended (hit from behind), forcing sudden and unanticipated neck movement.
Whiplash can vary in its exact nature, and can include any or all of the following: joint dysfunction, disc herniation, faulty movement patterns, chronic pain, and damage to the nervous system.
Through spinal and joint adjustment, muscle work, rehabilitation exercises, and ergonomic considerations, chiropractic care helps realign the spine, work out subluxations that are affecting the nervous system, relieve and reduce pain, and restore lost range of motion.
MUSCULAR TENSION & DAMAGE
When involved in an accident, the body’s immediate defense system forces it to tense up (or ‘brace’). This tension, assaulted by with the force of the impact, can cause muscles to strain, sprain, and/or tear. Auto accident chiropractic treatment helps to correct spine and joint alignment, reduce pain, improve circulation to damaged muscle tissue, restore strength and range of motion to affected areas, helps the body to heal properly and more quickly, and returns you to normal activity as quickly as possible.
COMPREHENSIVE CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR AUTO ACCIDENT VICTIMS
If you’ve been injured in a motor vehicle accident, make sure that you’re getting the full range of treatment you need for a safe and speedy recovery.