The first 24-78 hours after a car accident are crucial. Whiplash and injuries to the neck and back can occur even at pretty low speeds, and are often not felt right away. Post-accident stress and adrenaline can often mask pain from a car injury for several hours and even days.
If you have broken bones, lacerations, or other severe symptoms, then a visit to an emergency room in Portland is appropriate. However, if the injury is less apparent or some time has passed after the accident, it can be a great idea to see an auto injury chiropractor for soft-tissue or musculoskeletal injuries resulting from the accident.
Auto accident chiropractors specialize in alleviating car accident injuries and symptoms by helping your body return its natural pre-accident state. By treating auto injury symptoms early, we can mitigate further injury, accelerate the healing process, and restore optimal bodily function.
Symptoms can be delayed hours, days, or even weeks following an auto collision, so getting a professional evaluation as soon as possible is of utmost importance. Such an evaluation will provide you with insight and peace of mind as to the effect of the car collision on your body.
Every collision is different. The severity of the crash and type of the accident along with prior state of health will determine how the body responds. However, even minor auto accidents can injure the body and should not be taken lightly.
Whiplash is the most common injury sustained from a car accident. The abrupt stop and resulting thrust don’t allow time for the body to properly brace and protect itself, which oftentimes results in damage to the tissues and skeletal structures in the neck and spine.
Some common symptoms associated with whiplash from a car accident include neck pain, neck stiffness and reduced range of motion, back pain, shoulder and arm pain, migraine headaches, memory loss, insomnia, irritability, dizziness, ringing in the ears, and loss of concentration.
It can vary by the individual and severity of the accident, but within the first three to seven days it is generally recommended to see an auto injury chiropractor for a variety of reasons.
From an injury perspective, car accident chiropractors want to address the issue immediately to mitigate any further damage and accelerate the recovery process. Starting this process before symptoms peak can help aid the path to recovery.
Then there is the insurance coverage perspective. Whether or not you are at fault, insurance companies give a relatively small window to seek care for injuries related to a car accident. As this window narrows, it can become increasingly challenging to receive compensation for continued professional medical care and post-accident therapy and rehabilitation.
We see people with a variety of symptoms following car accident injuries, and achieve excellent results through our unique approach of combining chiropractic care, manual therapy, and movement training to get you out of pain fast!
By utilizing manual and instrument-assisted therapy techniques to address soft tissue injuries and inflammation around the spine, neck, shoulders, and hips, we ensure the affected areas are able to move freely. Reducing muscle and joint tension can alleviate inflammation and accelerate the healing process after the accident.
But that’s only half the equation. Stabilization of the affected area is paramount. After auto injury treatment, you’ll perform corrective exercises to improve your bracing strategies, improve movement efficiency, and restore balance of strength and mobility where you need it most. It’s these functional movements that unwind compensation patterns, correct movement dysfunction, and retrain your body (and brain) how to move properly to prevent further or future injury.
At Tangelo, we don’t just focus on the obvious symptoms. We work hard to figure out what caused the problem in the first place. Our process begins with a comprehensive movement assessment to evaluate your spine, as well as your movement patterns like gait, balancing, and lifting mechanics. We want to make sure you get out of pain, stay out of pain, and get back to doing the sport or activities you love!
If you were in a car accident in the Portland area, and you think you may have an injury or any type of pain, we’d be happy to help you at Slabtown clinic.
Address: 4755 Fauntleroy Way SW, Suite 120, Seattle, WA 98116
Phone: (206) 946-1323
Fax: (206) 926-7908
Hours:
OTHER SERVICES OFFERED AT OUR WEST SEATTLE CLINIC:
The Tangelo method is entirely unique. We draw from a fusion of leading methods to create custom manual therapy + movement treatment plans tailored to you and your goals.
Our method includes components from multiple leading pain relief and functional rehabilitation modalities.