
When to See a Chiropractor After a Car Accident

According to the National Safety Council, 5.2 million injuries resulting from car accidents required medical attention and treatment in 2022, costing over 480 billion dollars.
Unfortunately, car accidents are common, no matter the time of day or year. If you find yourself in the aftermath of a vehicle collision, you may not know what to do next, especially with an injury.
Chiropractic care benefits auto injuries like whiplash, back pain, and other musculoskeletal injuries. At Pinnacle Health Chiropractic, Dr. Jason Ablett provides expert chiropractic care to Kirkland, Washington, patients.
Common car accident injuries
Car accident injuries vary from extremely mild to life-threatening. Many depend on the speed of the collision, whether a seat belt was on, and the type of car involved.
One of the most prevalent injuries we see after a car accident is whiplash. This injury occurs when an outside force like a car accident whips the neck back and forth, putting intense strain on the muscles and other tissues.
The prevalent symptoms of whiplash include stiffness, pain, and decreased range of motion in the neck. There are other injuries that we often see after a car accident, and they include:
- Headaches
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Concussions
- Back or neck pain
- Chest injuries
- Sprains and strains
- Soft tissue injuries
Always seeking professional medical treatment after a car accident is a good idea. You may not even know you have an injury until a few days afterward because of the adrenaline your body releases during an accident.
When is chiropractic care helpful?
After visiting the emergency room to evaluate your injuries, you may still experience pain and discomfort for days, weeks, or months, especially with musculoskeletal injuries. Some injuries require more care, including chiropractic adjustments and rehabilitative exercise.
Chiropractic care is beneficial after a car accident when you're living with musculoskeletal injuries or spinal misalignment. After the ER clears you, contact Dr. Ablett for an evaluation.
It's essential to seek chiropractic care right away after a car accident so Dr. Ablett can address the muscle injuries and spinal misalignments causing pain. The longer these injuries sit without treatment, the more difficult they are to eliminate.
At your initial appointment, he will review your current symptoms and imaging studies from the ER. These help him determine the best treatment route for your injuries. Therapies may involve manual spinal manipulation, fascia release, and transcutaneous electrical stimulation.
Benefits of chiropractic care after an accident
There are many benefits to seeking chiropractic care, especially after a car accident. You may not feel any pain for a day or so afterward, but when it hits, it impacts every aspect of your life. Dr. Ablett addresses the root cause of pain and eliminates it from the source.
The advantages of fast chiropractic care after a car accident are numerous, no matter the injury. Some of the significant benefits to our treatments include:
- Advanced pain relief
- Decreased inflammation
- Improved circulation
- Restoring mobility
- Improving spinal alignment
- Addressing whiplash
- Treating soft-tissue injuries
Regular chiropractic care helps align the spine, reducing musculoskeletal pain and improving overall body function. We also address muscle tightness and trigger points, which could take months to heal without the proper care.
Call Pinnacle Health Chiropractic today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Ablett for a post-accident evaluation and treatment, or request an appointment here on our website.
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