How Soon After a Car Accident Should I See a Chiropractor?

Sometimes, people try to wait and see if their pain will go away before going to a doctor or chiropractor. However, there are many benefits to seeing a chiropractor after you’ve been in a car accident that far outweigh the risks. A car accident chiropractor can assess you right away for any potential injuries and get you started on a proper course of treatment before your pain and other symptoms have even fully set in. Getting care and treatment immediately after a car accident can help reduce the time it takes for you to heal from an injury. It can also help address any potentially serious injuries that you may not have known about in the immediate aftermath of the wreck.

Delayed Symptoms and Hidden Injuries After a Car Accident

Car accident injuries can have delayed symptoms, which means it can take hours or days for signs and symptoms of an injury to appear fully. These injuries are also known as hidden injuries because they aren’t immediately recognizable to a person. You might think you have some minor back pain and discomfort after a car accident, but that could be a sign of something more serious going on internally. It is best to see a car accident chiropractor as soon as possible to get checked out and jumpstart your body’s healing process. Here are three examples of hidden injuries with delayed symptoms after a car accident.

Whiplash

Whiplash affects the head, neck, and upper back and is a type of hidden injury with delayed symptoms. When the force of impact between two vehicles causes your head to jolt forward and backward violently, it can strain the muscles in your neck and even damage the spine in your neck and upper back. What you might first experience as slight pain and soreness in your neck can develop into stiff, painfully sore muscles and difficulty turning your head from side to side.

Concussion

A concussion is the most common type of traumatic brain injury and can cause symptoms that take time to register fully. You may have a headache after being in a car accident and think it is stress-related, but if you hit your head or your upper body was jostled violently, it could have caused a concussion. You may develop nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, and difficulty focusing or concentrating. These are signs of a concussion and should be addressed as soon as possible.

Soft Tissue Injuries

Soft tissue injuries like sprains and strains are common in car accidents, though you might not recognize them right away. Similar to whiplash, you may experience back pain and soreness, which could be related to a strained or torn muscle in your back. Injuries to the spinal discs that separate vertebrae can also occur, like a herniated disc. This can send tingling and numbness into your extremities.

How a Chiropractor Can Help with Car Accident Injuries

Car accident chiropractors are highly skilled and knowledgeable in identifying, diagnosing, and treating a wide variety of injuries. A car accident chiropractor may use diagnostic tools to support their diagnosis and plan for your treatment so you can experience relief from your pain and other symptoms as soon as possible. Car accident chiropractors also work to address the root cause of your symptoms so you can experience lasting results. Chiropractors use all-natural methods for treating pain and other symptoms associated with car accident injuries. Techniques include gentle chiropractic adjustments that resolve any spinal misalignments and therapeutic massage for sore, aching muscles. Your car accident chiropractor will aim to promote healthy functioning by addressing any misalignments or other issues that are affecting the healthy flow and communication from the brain to the rest of your body. This includes restoring the flow of nutrients and healthy, oxygen-rich blood to affected areas. A car accident injury can impact your strength, stability, and mobility. Your chiropractor will work with you to regain strength and range of motion, while also promoting healing in soft tissues that provide stability to your bones and joints.

The bottom line is this: if you’ve been in a car accident, then you want to be proactive about your health and see a car accident chiropractor as soon as possible. Our team of chiropractors at Affordable Chiropractic Killeen are available to assist you and help you start healing right away.