Auto Accident Chiropractic Care
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT:
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Call 911
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Check for injuries and if possible, move the vehicle to a safe area out of traffic. DO NOT LEAVE THE SCENE.
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Exchange information.
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If possible, take pictures or videos of the scene such as traffic lanes, traffic lights, traffic cameras, and the surrounding area.
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Take pictures or videos of the auto damage to all vehicles and include license plates.
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If you suffered lacerations, air bag burns or other immediate visual injuries, take pictures and report to the first responders.
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If the first responder recommends going to the hospital, do whatever they say.
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Notify your insurance.
Whether the accident is a “minor” fender bender” or a major collision many car accident victims don’t feel the damaging effects of their injuries until 10 years down the road.
The following are some of the thought processes injured victims think or discuss to coerce themselves or let the insurance adjustor talk the victim out of seeking treatment.
MY ACCIDENT WAS LESS THAN 10 MPH:
Low speed impacts normally occur at speeds less than 10 MPH (Baldyga 2004). Dr. Jeffrey Tucker reports a low speed impact can start as low as 1-2 MPH and as high as 20-25 MPH (Tucker, 1995). Orner defined a low speed impact as having a closing speed of 5 to 10 MPH or less with vehicular damage often being minor (Orner, 1992). McConnell et al. defined a low speed collision as one in which the struck vehicle speed change is less than or equal to 8 MPH (McConnell et al., 1993).
Today’s world of advanced mechanical vehicles makes it difficult for many to understand how a small bump could cause such physical damage to the human body. It is at this point one understands biomechanics, or the study of how mechanical forces affect living organisms. – Chiropractors are spinal biomechanic experts.
PREMATURE SPINE DEGENERATION (ARTHRITIS):
Whiplash injuries have been documented as leading to degeneration of the spine. Evans documents “evidence suggesting that trauma and whiplash injuries can accelerate the development of cervical spondylosis with degenerative disk disease” (Evans, 1992). Another study supported the conclusion of Evans by observing “cervical changes predisposing to premature degenerative disc disease” in whiplash injuries (Hamer, Gargan, Bannister, & Nelson, 1993).
NO VEHICLE DAMAGE:
Malcolm C. Robbins, an engineer with the Society of Automotive Engineers, reported that “a common misconception formulated is that the amount of vehicle crash damage due to a collision, offers direct correlation to the degree of the occupant injury” (Robbins, 1997, p.13). The speed and size of the rear vehicle is clearly a factor. A large vehicle traveling at a slower speed can do more damage than a small vehicle traveling at a higher speed (Luo & Goldsmith, 1991). If the vehicle has little or no damage something or someone had to absorb the shock of the impact.
Someone had to absorb the shock!
NECK PAIN: In 1994 Radanov expressed a 97% rate of neck pain after whiplash injury in chronic patients (Radanov, Di Stefano, Schnidrig, & Sturzenegger, 1994). Greenfield and Deans report that neck pain occurs in 65% of patients within six hours, 28% of patients within 24 hours, and the remaining 7% within 72 hours (Greenfield & Ilfeld, 1977) (Deans, Magalliard, Kerr, & Rutherford, 1987). Since the cervical spine consists of many important structures it is very susceptible to trauma.
NERVE DAMAGE:
Not only has degenerative issues been established but there exists nerve damage with respect to indirect and direct damage.
The nervous system in the human spine can be affected by any of the above mentioned traumas. However, the most familiar trauma is that caused by disc herniation, which has been known to put pressure on the nerve roots, leading to radiculitis, headaches, or tingling in the hands or fingers, depending on which of the nerve roots was damaged.
DISC HERNIATION:
Disc herniation (red arrow at right) has been established as an indirect source of irritation or damage to the nerve and spinal cord, since the nerves are not damaged directly from the accident, but from herniations caused by the accident. However, direct nerve damage, such as a concussion, can be attributed directly to the accident.
HEADACHES:
In the same vain of direct nerve damage, there have been documented cases of the occipital nerve being crushed between the bony arches of the atlas and axis during sudden hyperextension (Bogduk, 1981). This damage can be attributed to chronic pain in the upper neck, back of the head and behind the eyes, commonly referred to as Arnold’s neuralgia.
LIGEMENT TEAR, FACET JOINT CHRONIC PAIN DECREASED RANGE OF MOTION AND POOR POSTURE:
In a study conducted by Ivancic et al, it was determined that the risk for complete tears of the anterior longitudinal ligament could be witnessed in a small portion of the population. Additionally, there were indications of a loss of cervical stability with the disruption of the anterior stabilizing system causing chronic pain after the injury. Injury to these soft tissues could contribute to facet joint pain due to the increased loading and degeneration of the posterior spinal components (Ivancic, Pearson, Panjabi, & Ito, 2004). The idea that injuries, whiplash and other similar injuries, can occur only during high speed impacts need to be discussed routinely with persons who spend a lot of time in a vehicle.
Low impact injuries are just as serious, and maybe moreso, then high speed impact injuries, since safety systems and the human body are more focused on the severe traumatic responses.
I DIDN’T GET INJURED:
This thought process usually comes in two versions.
1) The Emergency Responders did not send you to the hospital. After a paramedic or first responder assesses the scene and determines severity of injuries they may or may not triage the accident victim. If they see the patient walking with no apparent traumatic injuries that require immediate emergency care, the accident patient is sent on their way and possibly told to follow up with their physician.
2) Some accident victims are taken to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care via ambulance, friend or helicopter based on the first responder’s expertise. In most car accident cases, always with exceptions, the Emergency Room doctors are assessing for fracture, dislocation, open wounds, organ injury and traumatic brain injury among other injuries. They typically run CAT scans and MRI’s. If the tests come back negative for the aforementioned, they typically pronounce you healthy and release you.
The Accident victim tends to think that since they were not sent to the ER or the ER did not find acute or traumatic life threatening injuries that they were not injured. As laid out in the paragraphs before this, most injuries are silent and take further, professional work up to determine diagnosis. Dismissing a workup can be very costly and painful in the future.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
Schedule an appointment with us right now, you can call or click schedule now. Chiropractors are experts in detecting and correcting injuries due to auto accidents.
WE WILL WALK YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS STEP BY STEP!
First: We will take a detailed history of the accident and your symptoms.
Second: We will do a complete concussion, neurological, orthopedic, chiropractic and x-ray examination.
Third: We will take care of you and our goal is to get you better and out of pain faster than any office out there.
Fourth: We will quarterback your case and get you the proper imaging and or referrals such as an Orthopedist, Neurologist, Dentist, Massage Therapist or Attorney.
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
We will work with your attorney, if you do not have one, we will be more than happy to give you referral choices so you can pick the best one for you. We have great working relationships with many attorneys that only specialize in car accidents.
CLICK HERE for your car accident consultation.