Why You Should See a Chiropractor After a Car Accident

Recovering after a car accident is about more than just dealing with car repairs and insurance claims. It’s also about treating any injuries and lingering pain that arise after the incident.

Whiplash is one of the most common car accident injuries. Keep in mind that neck pain, stiffness, muscle spasms and other symptoms often develop within 24 hours, but some ailments may not appear until days or weeks later. If you experience any pain in your neck, shoulders or back after a car accident, you should see a chiropractor. Here’s why.

Chiropractors are qualified to treat whiplash.

After a car accident, a chiropractic adjustment is just what you need to get on the road to recovery. More people choose chiropractic care than any other therapy to treat their car accident injuries. This is ideal because chiropractors are specifically trained to address whiplash, soft tissue injuries, spinal strains and other musculoskeletal damage. A gentle realignment of the spine that allows the body to heal itself is far preferred over masking the pain with medication.

Your insurance should cover the cost of care.

If you’re worried about the costs, contact your car insurance company to double check that chiropractic care is included under the medical payments portion of your policy. Whether you caused the accident or not, the costs should be covered.

Perhaps your symptoms don’t seem serious, or you think the car accident was too minor to cause severe damage. However, if you wait too long to seek care, you risk forfeiting your right to insurance coverage for treatment of your injury. Because your visit should be no cost to you, it doesn’t hurt to visit a chiropractor, even if your symptoms are minor.

Proper treatment speeds up recovery.

Car accident victims often struggle with pain, soreness and the inability to complete day-to-day tasks. People with preexisting chronic pain are even more uncomfortable. Why suffer like this for weeks or months when you can enjoy a speedy recovery with chiropractic care?

Proper treatment begins with an assessment of your injury, medical history and lifestyle. Diagnostic equipment is also used to help pinpoint the problem. With this information, your chiropractor can develop a personalized treatment plan that may include a combination of modalities, including spinal adjustments, massage therapy, acupuncture and physical therapy.

The goal of your treatment is to restore you to your pre-accident condition. This is done by decreasing your pain, increasing mobility, eliminating muscle spasms and treating all other symptoms at the source.

Chiropractic care can prevent long-term complications.

Car accident victims with mild to moderate whiplash usually recover within a few weeks. However, more severe injuries can have long-lasting effects that leave you struggling months or even years later. It’s difficult to predict when an acute injury will turn into chronic pain, so it’s best to visit a chiropractor after a car accident just in case.

If you’re looking for a car accident chiropractor in Crofton, Millersville or Lanham, MD, schedule a free consultation at Effective Integrative Healthcare today.