There are a variety of injuries that can occur due to a car accident. You might be surprised to learn that you can get injured from what seems like a relatively small car accident, like a fender-bender. However, if your car sustained any damage then it is likely that your body also has some damage too. A car accident chiropractor can help with a wide range of injuries that are common with car accidents.
Chiropractors use natural and non-invasive approaches to treatment and care that prompt and encourage the body’s natural healing abilities. In fact, chiropractors are highly skilled with injuries related to the nervous system and musculoskeletal system. An injury to the brain or spine can affect your whole body and disrupt your body’s healthy functioning. Visit a chiropractor for an initial evaluation after a car accident to learn how the wreck may have negatively affected your body and how a car accident chiropractor can help.
5 Common Car Accident Injuries
Here are five examples of common car accident injuries.
Whiplash
Whiplash is the most common of all car accident injuries. Your seat belt is designed to provide you with protection during a car accident and keep you from being ejected from the vehicle. However, it only holds you in place from shoulder to hip, which means your head and neck are susceptible to injury. The force of impact can shake or jostle your head around and even cause your head to snap forward and backward violently. When this occurs, the muscles in your neck can stretch, strain, and even tear. A whiplash injury can also impact the vertebrae in your neck, causing misalignments and even lead to a herniated disc.
Back Pain
Back pain is common after a car accident because of the stress and pressure it puts on your spine. When you get jostled around from a car accident, your back muscles have to work harder to support your spine and can stretch and strain. Spinal misalignments are also common in the spine along your back due to a car accident. If you experience a misalignment in your spine, it can disrupt your brain’s ability to effectively communicate to your nerves. Many people experience soreness and stiffness in their back after a car accident.
Concussion
A sudden impact with another vehicle can lead to a head injury if your head collides with the windshield, steering wheel, or another part of the car. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury where the brain actually collides with the skull. In normal movements, the brain has room to move a bit without hitting the side of the skull. In a car accident, however, the force of impact can cause your brain to hit the skull and lead to bruising or even bleeding on the brain.
Muscle Strains
Muscle strains occur with a whiplash injury or back injury, and can also occur in other areas of the body as well. You can also experience muscle strains in your extremities and anywhere that causes your muscles to stretch outside their normal range of motion. Muscle sprains can lead to tears in the muscles that can cause pain and swelling.
Broken Bones
It is possible to break a bone during a car accident. Broken bones are common in the arms, legs, and wrist joints from a traumatic event like a car accident. Your body’s natural response to an incident like this might cause you to reach your arms out and brace yourself for impact. This can actually cause damage to your wrist joints and even cause a fracture. You could also fracture an arm or leg if it hits the dashboard or other part of the vehicle with enough force.
How Car Accident Chiropractors Diagnose and Treat Injuries
Chiropractors use natural and non-invasive approaches to diagnosing and treating car accident injuries. Your car accident chiropractor will perform a physical assessment to see how the car accident has impacted your body. Talk to your chiropractor about the symptoms you have been experiencing and they will develop an individualized treatment plan that addresses your specific needs. Visit AICA Orthopedics in Snellville to experience comprehensive chiropractic care for any type of car accident injury you have and start experiencing pain relief and healing today.