Chiropractic and Car Accidents
- whiplash victim
If you’ve ever been in a low-impact auto accident, you probably know that it can cause a pretty bad case of neck pain and stiffness. And, depending on the angles of the accident, it can hurt your lower back as well.
Low impact car collisions, or those occurring at less than 20 mph are a major contributor to neck pain cases across the country. This includes chronic (long-standing) neck pain.
In a low speed collision, sometimes the cars do not dent very much. This can actually be worse than if they had dented, because denting absorbs some of this energy. If the bumper is sturdy, the forces travel through the car frame and into the passenger. As the car goes from, let’s say, 20 mph to zero mph (collision point) in less than a second, the head and spine go through a very short but violent contortion, resulting in torn muscle fibers and ligaments. Swelling follows, maximizing at 72 hours after the accident (that’s why your neck feels more stiff the next day or two, not immediately afterwards) which limits your ability to bend your neck and back.
If you are involved in a low-speed car accident, here are some tips:
First of all, the obvious– if you are seriously hurt and do not feel safe to drive, call an ambulance. If you are shaken up, but have your faculties intact, do the following:
1. Determine who was at fault (some insurance companies will advise you not to admit fault, even though you think it was your fault– it’s your choice).
3. Call the police and ask for a report (in some jurisdictions, police will not arrive unless it was a serious accident and/or the car was totaled).
4. Report the accident to your auto insurance company, even if you don’t feel pain. The insurer will ask if you were injured and need medical care (they ask this to see if your Med Pay benefits, should you have them, will need to cover your expenses). If you don’t feel pain immediately, it’s advisable to not tell the adjustor you do not need medical care, because sometimes in these scenarios, pain arises several hours later, due to the slow process of swelling.
5. If your car needs towing, call a towing company. Do not attempt to drive it if it looks like the frame, engine, steering column, or wheels have been damaged.
6. Many low-impact car accident victims experience headaches, dizziness, and neck pain and stiffness; and sometimes jaw pain and knee and wrist pain after the accident. If you experience this, take it easy for the rest of the day. It would be wise to check into the local ER and get checked. Have a friend drive you. Also, take the rest of the day off.
7. Ice your neck and low back to reduce muscle inflammation. Do it every two waking hours, 20 minutes each time.
8. Contact a chiropractor. Chiropractors are highly trained in spinal biomechanics and can detect if your neck, spine and extremity joints have been affected. Choose a chiropractor who is experienced in treating auto accident soft tissue injuries. These conditions require a specific protocol: pain reduction, functional restoration, and strengthening.
Dan Perez, DC
Tags: back pain, car accident, san francisco chiropractors, soft tissue injuries, whiplash
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