It is well supported that chiropractic care is an effective method in the treatment of auto collision injuries, especially when the injury is centered around the back and neck. Studies have concluded that therapies commonly used by a chiropractor are generally effective in treating lower back pain, herniated discs, and neck pain. If you decide to be treated by a chiropractor for an auto collision injury, make sure you find one that has advanced training in whiplash and spinal injury trauma. These chiropractors have specific training in the healing process related to auto collision injuries.
To understand why chiropractors are effective in healing auto injuries, we first need to look at what happens to the spine when involved in a car crash. Please note that this is a very brief overview description of what actually happens to the spinal joints (neck and back) when injured in an auto collision.
Due to the mechanics of auto collision injuries, ligaments, joint capsules, muscles and tendons of the spine get overstretched or torn to some degree. Once an injury occurs, the body begins the cleanup and repair process. This often results in inflammation while patches of scar tissue are laid down to bond the damaged tissue back together. This is good, but can also be detrimental if this normal physiologic process is not done under ideal treatment conditions such as; home care, chiropractic care, rehabilitation, and soft tissue therapy or massage.
Chiropractic Care To Prevent Recurring Injury
If the repair process occurs without the appropriate treatment, the sites of injury will begin to accumulate scar tissue and adhesions. This type of tissue is painful, weaker, stiffer, and will continue to tear and repair over and over again to some degree even with normal everyday activities. Ultimately, this leads to more scar tissue, more pain, weakness, loss of joint range of motion and mobility, and finally arthritis in the neck and back promoting abnormal motion.
This leads to significant aberrant motion between the spinal segments of the spine. Some spinal segments become stuck together or only capable of a smaller range of mobility (hypomobile), while others adjacent increase in the range of movement (hypermobile) as they compensate the other segments.
The abnormal motion rapidly accelerates the degeneration of the spine, especially at the sites of injury. An appropriate treatment plan early on can eliminate this cascade of negative events. It is imperative that early intervention to the injuries occurs following a car collision as this repair process begins right away.
How to restore normal motion
A chiropractic adjustment is one of the single most important treatment modes in regards to restoring normal motion between spinal segments, which in turn leads to better posture, improved range of motion, and minimizing the negative impact scar tissue can have on the spine post auto accident injury. Ideally, the adjustments should continue to be performed several times per week. This helps the repair process to heal the normal range of motion between the spinal segments. The repair process can last anywhere from weeks to years depending on the significance of the injuries when treatment was introduced, and the kind of treatment.
To understand the different treatment options that are available to help in restoring normal motion between spinal segments requires a chiropractor with in-depth training in spinal injury trauma. There are many options to choose from, but for auto collision-related injuries, a chiropractor who specializes in this area is ideal. They not only will be able to work with you and help design a treatment plan to fit with your healing goals, but can also help navigate the extra work dealing with claims adjusters, lawyers and doctors.
NW Injury & Rehab Center specializes in car accident injuries of all types. If you’ve been involved in a car accident, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We will help you with the entire process and get you back to living a normal, healthy life.