Dr. Brian Douglas, Sagamore Beach Chiropractic , Sagamore Beach MA
You can be helped!! Auto injuries are perhaps the most damaging type of trauma to the human spine. It’s estimated that for every 10 mph of impact the car absorbs it’s equivalent to the body being hit by 40lbs of weight! As a car gets hit it moves rapidly away in the same direction its been hit. At the same time the upper body and neck of the occupants get whipped forward and backward or from side to side very quickly. This is where the term “whiplash” comes from. During a whiplash injury the spinal ligaments, muscles and nerves are strained or torn. The immediate aftermath is inflammation and pain. The long term effects are disc problems, degenerative arthritis, chronic pain and postural changes IF NOT PROPERLY DEALT WITH AS SOON AS POSSIBLE FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. The most reported symptoms of spinal trauma is headaches, neck and low back pain, arm and leg pain/numbness.
If you have been in a car accident you should be aware of some important points concerning the future of your health. Firstly, a spine that has suffered whiplash is fully injured from the neck all the way down to the low back to some degree or another. Full spine rehabilitation is almost always necessary.
Secondly, it’s critical to get you spine in motion as soon as possible following the injury. This is of course assuming there are no fractures in the spine. Motion helps to restore spinal alignment and also prevents the ligaments and muscles that may have been torn or stretched from forming scar tissue. If scar tissue is allowed to form the spine will heal permanently in a misaligned position causing progressive arthritis and disc and bone degeneration.
Should I receive chiropractic?
ABSOLUTELY. And here’s why. Chiropractic adjustments, done by trained chiropractors, work on your spinal joint in what’s known as the “passive range”. Adjustments help restore motion to vertebral joints that may be stuck from injury and move the joints just a bit further than you could move your spine by your own muscle ability. This is needed to break the “pain circuit” and reset the spinal joint alignment for the long run.
Physical therapy is a very common treatment for car accident victims. PT’s generally focuses on immediate pain relief with modalities followed by muscle strengthening exercises. This may provide pain relief in the short run but if the muscles are strengthened prior to mobilizing all the spinal segments the vertebra will become fixed in a bad position. This will result in more problems in the future. Physical therapy with chiropractic care is usually a very effective combination.
Medication may be helpful in the early stages to relieve inflammation and spasms. Medication should be stopped as soon as you are able to avoid side effects and the risk of developing dependency on them.
Feel free to schedule a free telephone or office consultation with Dr. Brian Douglas ,Sagamore Beach Chiropractic, Sagamore Beach MA. We are your chiropractor in the Plymouth Massachusetts area and your chiropractor in the Bourne Massachusetts area. We have served hundreds with chiropractic care in Buzzards Bay, Wareham, and Sandwich Massachusetts over the years.
