Don’t Let Car Accidents Limit Your Movement
Why You Should See a Chiropractor
After an Auto Collision Even If You're Not in Pain
Along with a rise in temperature, summer brings with it an increase in the number of car
accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, July has the
highest number of car accidents, and, typically, 25% of all drivers in a five-year period
are involved in a car accident. Each year, car accidents leave 2 million people with
permanent injuries, and these numbers don’t include the number of people whose injuries
go undetected for months or years afterward.
Car accidents often cause rapid whipping injuries to the neck, spine as well as strain and
discomfort to the mid, upper and lower back, all of which may involve soft tissue damage
that doesn’t always surface immediately. If you’re injured in an accident and not treated
properly for soft tissue damage before settling with your insurance company, you may
miss out on health coverage payments that you’re entitled to. Since chiropractors are
trained to examine patients for soft tissue damage, even if you’re not in pain or are just a
little sore after an accident, you should get checked out immediately by a chiropractor.
You very well may experience pain, numbness, headaches, muscle stiffness, fatigue,
arthritic pain, or other problems down the road, but if these conditions are not attributed
to your accident, your health insurance may not cover the treatments if they’re not
diagnosed before you settle your claim.
Even if your health plan doesn’t cover chiropractic care, your auto insurance policy may.
In Oregon, car insurance policies are mandated to have PIP, which stands for personal
injury protection and ensures that medical bills will be paid at 100% up to a limit of
$15,000.*
Without the accident victim realizing it for months, many auto accident can cause posttraumatic
osteoarthritis, which compromises your posture, giving you a slumped or hump
back appearance, and cause the discs in your spine to degenerate, creating scar tissue
formation that leads to chronic stiffness and the inability to move properly.
Understandably, we tend to focus our concern after a crash on the state of our car, but
don’t make the mistake of neglecting your health. Your body may prove less resilient to
the care it needs if your injuries are neglected too long.
Even if you’re in a minor scrape, be sure to get yourself checked out thoroughly by a
chiropractor. Studies have revealed that "the amount of damage to the automobile bears
little relation to the force applied to the cervical spine (neck) of the occupants." Even
minor fender benders can cause whiplash injuries. If you do feel severe pain right after an accident, use ice to reduce soreness and swelling. Even 15 minutes of ice twice a day can make a big difference.
While a massage may seem like a great post-accident treatment, defer to the judgment of
a chiropractor about when to schedule a massage. Once your chiropractor has given you
the green light, though, be sure to do so. Massage will help loosen and relax your muscles
and provide relief for the symptoms of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) that are
common after even a minor collision. Remember that Backs on Burnside has a full staff
of massage therapists trained to keep you flexible and free of muscle tension.
* PIP will also cover your medical expenses if you are hit by a car while riding your bike or walking across an intersection.