Auto Accident Injuries in Atlanta

Less Chronic Pain

Adjusting man on table It is common for auto accident injuries to go unnoticed after the impact occurs. As your body is healing, the pain might go unnoticed and if normal range of motion and spinal alignment isn’t performed properly, the scar tissue will end up limiting future mobility of the injured area. This can lead to spinal degeneration and cause pain for years.

Identify Hidden Injuries

Unfortunately, most doctors do not have specific training when it comes to automobile collision-related injuries. If there has not been any Spinal Ligament damage, doctors will not be able to see it on any imaging system and not be able to address it properly. By visiting LifeGiving Chiropractic we can evaluate your spine’s stability and caught many hidden injuries.

Non-Pharmaceutical Relief

While muscle relaxers, opioids, and other forms of pharmaceutical pain killers can be helpful during the recovery of any major injury. At LifeGiving Chiropractic, we take special care to make sure the pain you are experiencing is temporary. We will use several methods and treatments to ease your pain and restore your health from the inside out.

Chiropractic for Auto Accidents

Auto accidents can quickly turn a normal day into an absolute nightmare. Even a minor collision can still cause pain and trauma weeks afterward. Those that have experienced an auto accident may even have post-traumatic stress which can affect virtually every area of your life. Luckily, chiropractic care has been shown to help with stress and chronic pain and will be able to get you on the path to feeling normal again much more quickly.

Common Auto Accident Injuries

Even if you believe you have escaped a collision unscathed, it’s still important to have a doctor check you for injuries.

Injuries can include:

Head injuries: Concussions and other head injuries are not uncommon after a collision and should be checked out immediately by an EMT to determine the severity. If left unchecked a head or brain injury can be very dangerous.
Neck Injuries: The most common neck injury you or someone close to you has likely experienced is whiplash. This occurs when the body is thrown violently forward and backward during a collision. Though most cases affect the neck, serious back injuries can occur as well.
Soft Tissue Injuries: Soft tissue refers to the non-skeletal parts of your body that can be damaged during an accident including tendons and muscles. Soft tissue can be bruised, strained, or torn and recovery can take a long time depending on the severity.
Broken Bones: During the strongest of collisions you may experience broken bones. A bone break will require immediate medical attention and you will likely be driven to the ER from the site of the collision right away.

After the Accident

Pain and other physical damage is not always immediately evident.

The initial shock of an auto accident can mask the pain you may be experiencing because of high doses of adrenaline being released by your body to cope with the situation. For this reason, it can be difficult to communicate with medical personnel what you may be feeling and in what part of your body. In other cases, such as with whiplash the symptoms may not start to appear until days or even weeks after the accident. Listen to your body, and if something doesn’t feel right you should contact LifeGiving Chiropractic as soon as possible.

Patients in adjusting room

How Chiropractic Care Can Help

The most important thing to remember if you have been involved in an auto accident is that the earlier you seek treatment the better it will be for your overall health. When you talk to your chiropractor about the accident, be as detailed as possible so they know what areas of the body may have been affected and what to look for. It is also essential that you mention any preexisting conditions such as if you are pregnant or preexisting injuries such as a prior sports injury or a herniated discs. From there the doctor will use a series of movements and spinal manipulation techniques to ensure that the spine is in proper alignment and there are no vertebrae out of place. If there are more serious injuries that require more than one appointment to treat, the auto injury chiropractor in Roswell will discuss with you the path to recovery and where continued chiropractic treatments will focus. They will also give you exercises and movement you can do at home to ensure the quickest recovery possible. If there are any other things you can do to help your recovery process, such as getting a therapeutic massage or improving your diet, we will advise you during this initial meeting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I Work with an Attorney First Before Seeing a Chiropractor After a Car Accident?

It is important for you to first see a doctor first after any auto collision. This way they can address any immediate issues and determine the proper treatment plan. The finding from your initial examination will be documented and your appropriate health care plan will be great information for your attorney or legal counsel.

Do You Accept Insurance? After a Car Accident Will I Need to Pay for it Myself?

At LifeGiving Chiropractic, we accept many insurance plans, if you don’t have insurance, our office offers several easy, affordable payment plans available for every budget.

What if the Car Only Sustained Minor Damage?

A well-documented study by Charles Carroll, M.D., Paul McAtee, M.D. and Lee Riley, M.D. revealed that:

“The amount of damage to the automobile bears little relation to the force applied to the cervical spine (neck) of the occupants”

This means that the physical damage to the vehicle does not necessarily relate to the damage sustained by any passengers. Thus, all auto accidents need to be evaluated by a qualified professional in order to ensure all issues are addressed.

What if Need Orthopedics, Neurologists and MRI Imaging Facilities?

At LifeGiving Chiropractic, we want to ensure you get the best care possible, if this means referring you to another doctor we will not hesitate to do so. We work with many qualified medial doctors such as orthopedics and neurologists to help diagnose the issue. If we believe it is necessary, we will refer you for a MRI or any imaging studies necessary to evaluate the extent of your injury.

The Insurance Company has been Calling Me and Wants to Settle. What Should I Do?

Although every situation is different it is best not to sign anything until you visit a chiropractor. If you settle or sign anything prior to the issue being diagnosed or fully resolved, you risk having to pay out of pocket for your care.

Will Whiplash Heal On Its Own?

One of the biggest questions you may have after an accident is whether or not your whiplash will heal on its own. Often, after a car accident, there are so many details to deal with, and your health is just one more. You may find that your whiplash isn’t too bad at first and can wonder if you can forgo treatment for it. The simple answer is that it depends. Some people with mild whiplash need to treat it with common at-home treatments, such as over-the-counter pain medication, ice, rest, and some stretching exercises. A mild case can typically be resolved on its own anywhere from a few days for a very minor injury to up to ten weeks for cases that are still minor but linger. Others who are dealing with a more severe case of whiplash could require more care from a medical professional. In addition, sometimes, what may seem like a mild case at first could become more severe over time. It’s possible that if it’s taking over ten weeks for your whiplash to heal, it may have been more severe than you realize, or you may have additional injuries beyond just whiplash itself. It can be beneficial to seek out chiropractic care or other medical care to maximize your healing potential.

My Medical Doctor Says There is No Injury. Should I Still See A Chiropractor?

Many Medical Doctors are not fully trained in diagnosing many hidden injuries that might be sustained after an auto accident. Many imaging systems are not able to pick up any muscle abnormalities, which is why chiropractic care is so important in this situation. We can discover any undercover muscle tightness that can ultimately cause myofascial pain syndrome and compromise the stability and integrity of your spine.

What Happens to Your Body That Causes a Whiplash?

Whiplash can happen when your body suffers any abrupt jolt, you don’t have to be in your car, but it is the most commonplace. It happens when your body is sitting in a fixed position and it suffers a quick and unexpected shift. As this happens so fast your body doesn’t have time to react properly as your car is jolted forward.

During the moments of impact, your body will get pushed down into the seat. Your head is delayed in this reaction but will in turn be pushed forward quickly. Once it reaches the limitations of your seat belt it will be forced backward in reaction. Because your neck is never restricted by your seatbelt your head is jolted back and forth beyond its standard limits. As your head is heavy and secluded by your neck this “whipping motion” causes extreme damage to your already fragile neck structure.

How Can I Know if I Have Whiplash?

Whiplash is not always apparent right after the incident occurs, it can sometimes take several days for the symptoms to occur. It happens when there are tiny tears in the injured muscles and ligaments, the inflammation from these tears can build up take time to begin to irritate you, and become noticeable. Your body’s natural reaction is to protect delicate muscles in your neck they do this by tightening in order to guard the injured area. This helps protect the damaged area from further injury but prevents you from feeling pain during this time.

What Are the Common Symptoms of a Whiplash?

Common whiplash symptoms include headaches, neck pain, and loss of motion.

How Do I Realign My Neck After Whiplash?

After a car accident or other traumatic event that results in whiplash to your neck, you may be wondering what your options are for realigning your neck. The good news is that there are some exercises available to you that you can do to help your neck after a whiplash injury. One activity is stretching your head muscles gently with your hand on the top of your head, bending toward your shoulder. You’ll have to hold this position for 20 seconds on each side. Repeat this action on each side 3 to 5 times. You can also do another exercise by turning your head from side to side and holding it for 20 seconds. You’ll also want to repeat this action 3 to 5 times for each side. Finally, chin tucks where you move your head down towards your chest can also assist with your whiplash.

It can also be beneficial to seek medical treatment for your condition, especially if the whiplash is severe or starts to worsen after your accident. Speaking to one of our chiropractors can help you to heal more efficiently as they can determine the right exercises and treatments for your particular health situation. You may find that your condition improves thanks to a more targeted and specific treatment plan rather than trying out different exercises.

What Happens if Whiplash Goes Untreated?

Letting your whiplash go untreated can be a real problem for you, depending on the severity of your whiplash and how you handle it after your accident. Sometimes, the effects of an auto accident on your body aren’t apparent right away. It may take a day or two before you start to feel any bumps and bruises that happened to you. Whiplash may not be readily apparent right away, some people don’t begin to notice it until days have passed, but once it hits, you may wonder what will happen if you don’t get treatment, especially if it doesn’t start out to be overly painful. Just resting and taking over-the-counter pain medication may not be what you need to treat your whiplash. In fact, in some cases, whiplash that’s not adequately treated can begin to get worse. Sometimes, it’s possible that untreated whiplash from a car accident can result in worsening health conditions. You can start to experience headaches, have vertigo, deal with chronic pain, have problems with your spine or discs, and eventually lose your mobility. Seeking out the help of a medical professional, such as a chiropractor, can help to ensure the best-case scenario possible with your condition.

Schedule Today

If you have had the misfortune of being involved in an auto accident don’t wait to seek treatment until you are in serious pain. Our team at LifeGiving Chiropractic is ready to help and answer any questions you may have. Contact us today!
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