With motor-vehicle injury costs totaling over $481 billion, it’s not hard to see that the auto accident claim industry is big business. For chiropractors, this means that plenty of the patients they see regularly are probably part of this group of people.
The tricky thing about auto accident pain and injuries is that they’re not always obvious at first. This is why it’s so important to visit a chiropractor if you’ve been involved in an accident, as they can give a true assessment of any lurking injuries you should know about.
But what exactly can a chiropractor do for your injuries, and how does the science behind chiropractic care work? Find out here.
What Is Chiropractic Care?
The science of chiropractic care centers on the body’s ability to heal itself naturally. The practice of chiropractic revolves around the proper alignment of the spine and musculoskeletal system.
When you experience pain, it’s usually due to misalignment of the spine, which affects the nervous system. But with the right adjustments, also known as subluxations, you can find relief.
The Science Behind Pain and the Nervous System
To gauge how chiropractic care helps to alleviate pain, it’s important to first understand how the nervous system works.
The nervous system consists of the following:
- The brain
- The spinal cord (the central nervous system)
- An intricate network of nerves called the peripheral nervous system
When you experience a misalignment in the spine, this can cause a dysfunction or breakdown of communication between the above elements in the nervous system.
Much of the time, it’s this interference that can cause muscle tension, which leads to pain, loss of mobility, and other health concerns.
Chiropractic Benefits for the Nervous System
Everything in the nervous system is connected. This system, like many others in the body, requires smooth and consistent communication to operate at its optimum.
With regular chiropractic treatment and post-accident therapy, you can regulate the nervous system, which helps to alleviate pain. Here’s how it works:
- Endorphin release: adjustments of the spine trigger the release of endorphins, which act as natural painkillers. They’re essentially mood enhancers
- Reduction in inflammation: the misalignment of joints or spinal segments can cause inflammation – a major contributor/catalyst for pain
- Promotes better blood flow: the proper alignment of your spine enhances and promotes better blood flow. This, in itself, enhances the body’s natural healing capabilities and promotes tissue repair
- Muscle relaxation: joint misalignment leads to major muscle tension as the muscles try to compensate for this. Realigning joints and spinal segments can alleviate this tension and reduce pain
It’s also important to note that chiropractic, specifically auto accident recovery, centers on personalized care. Your care plan is tailored to your needs. This helps to tackle the route issue early on, which is a key part of fully healing from injuries.
Here’s how chiropractic care can really make all the difference after an auto accident:
- Your Injuries Aren’t Always Obvious
We’ve mentioned this before, but for many people, injuries aren’t always obvious or noticeable after an auto accident. You might have a few lacerations or bruises, maybe even a broken bone, but misalignment issues are hard to spot, initially.
Some of the most common issues that present themselves after an accident are dizziness, headaches, and pain in the neck or upper back. This is generally due to whiplash.
It can take a few hours or even days for these symptoms to develop. But it’s important to not wait for pain to develop. Leaving these issues unattended can lead to long-term pain.
You must visit your chiropractor as soon as possible after an auto accident so they can nip potential issues in the bud.
- It’s a Non-Invasive Treatment
Chiropractic therapy is completely non-invasive. This means you don’t have to visit a hospital or go under the knife in order to find pain relief.
However, time is of the essence. It’s important to seek out the help of a chiropractor as soon as you can to get the therapy you need. This is the best way to avoid long-term issues and the need for invasive treatments.
- It Can Reduce Scar Tissue
There is a very real possibility that you can develop scar tissue on the muscles or around your injury if you leave it unattended for too long.
Scar tissue makes it all the more difficult for your injury to heal and can also exacerbate your pain. You can also feel stiff and uncomfortable and lose mobility in the area due to a buildup of scar tissue.
But regular chiropractic therapy targets damaged areas, helping to break down areas of scar tissue. This encourages the area to begin healing on its own.
- You Can Find Pain Relief Without Drugs
For most people, the default way to resolve the issue of pain is to take painkillers. But the reality is that they mask the symptoms of the injury but don’t heal the root cause.
There are also drawbacks to taking pain relief medication, such as unwanted side effects and even addiction.
Chiropractic care offers pain relief without the use of drugs, addressing the source of the problem before it becomes an unresolvable issue.
- Restore Your Range of Motion
Inflammation is a huge issue when it comes to your pain levels and range of motion. The greater your inflammation, the worse your range of motion.
Inflammation essentially blocks blood and nutrients from flowing to the injured area. This can slow the healing process and begin to limit your range of motion.
The point of chiropractic adjustments is to mobilize your spine, promote blood flow to the area, and restore full movement without pain.
Looking for Auto Accident Pain Relief?
The fact of the matter is that auto accidents happen when you least expect it. For many people, they might not experience any outward, obvious injuries, only to find themselves living with pain due to an injury they never realized they had.
Whether your injuries were obvious or not after an auto accident, visiting a chiropractor can help you avoid living with debilitating auto accident pain. At Anthem Chiropractic, Dr Derek T. Day offers years of unrivaled chiropractic expertise (23 years, to be exact!).
If you’re looking for an assessment after an accident or pain relief from your injuries, please get in touch with our team today.
