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Auto
Accident Injuries
Whiplash
How Can Chiropractic Help?
 What
You Should Know If You Have Been Involved In An Auto Accident
Did you know one of the most stressful aspects of living in modern
life is dealing with the problems that arise after an auto accident?
Were you also aware that some auto accident injuries are hidden
and seldom detected for months or even years? The following symptoms can occur weeks or months after the accident. You may have suffered a whiplash injury.
Why?
Because once you settle your case you lose the right to have
your insurance company pay for treatment if you need it. A good
rule of thumb is to get educated of your rights and then make a
decision. It is our position that if you were indeed injured, you
should get the care you need to get you back to the way you felt
and functioned just before the accident.
It
is not the responsibility of the insurance company to pay for anything
more than that. They are not responsibile for pre-existing injuries;
only the injuries sustained from the accident. Even if you are just
sore, you should get checked out immediately. Because you may experience
pain, numbness, headaches, muscle stiffness, fatigue, and other
problems including arthritis many months down the road. Remember,
Nothing is more important than your health when you start to lose
it.
Here's where
the problem begins... Most people who suffer from an auto accident
have one thing on their mind: Their Automobile!
Common questions
include:
- "Who
is going to fix my car?"
- "What
will I drive in the mean time?"
- "Will
my insurance rates go up?"
- "Who
is going to pay for it?"
- And the
last thing on their mind is: "Am
I Really O.K.?"
Not
only are auto accidents an inconvenience and a hassle, a common
general complaint of auto accident victims is that they don't feel
their normal self. You may also be experiencing obvious pains and
symptoms like muscle stiffness or spasm, neck pain, headaches, numbness
and tingling, back pain, difficulty sleeping, irritability, memory
loss, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and many other difficulties
or worse than that, you may be injured and feel nothing at all.
Either
way, did you know that auto accidents can cause post traumatic osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis can ruin your posture (giving you a slumped or hump
back appearance). Osteoarthritis can cause the discs in your spine
to degenerate and create scar tissue formation leading to chronic
stiffness and the inability to move properly.
As a matter
of fact...
- Most Doctors
Are Not Trained In The Detection Of These Hidden Injuries...
- If
you have been in an auto accident, you need a doctor that is trained
in the biomechanics of the human body; someone who treats these
injuries every day.
In addition,x-rays can be taken to find out if there has been
any structural damage. In our office we evaluate auto accident
victims, and make any appropriate referrals to other health care
providers if needed.
- Our Primary
Responsibility Is Giving You The Care If You Need It, And
Submitting The Required Medical Reports To The Insurance Company
So Your Rights
Are Protected.
If we
can't help you we will refer you to a doctor or facility that
can.
If
you have been in an auto accident recently, there are some important
decisions you have to make and if I were you, I'd make these decisions
very carefully.
- Q:
Should I See An Attorney Before I See My Chiropractor?
A: It
is important to get checked out by the doctor first, that way
the findings from your exam will allow you the information you
need in order to decide if an attorney is necessary. If necessary,
we can refer you to a reputable and qualified attorney.
- Q: What
If My Car Sustained Only Minor Damage?
A: Documented
studies done 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."
In other words,
the damage to the passengers is not necessarily directly related
to the damage to the vehicle.
- Q:
If I Need Treatment For This Injury, Do I Have To Pay For It Myself?
A: No,
only in very rare circumstances does the patient pay for their
care as they go. Our office provides care "on credit"
when patients are represented by an attorney. Some car insurance
policies have what is called "med Pay." This means that
your medical bills will be paid at 100% up to a certain limit.
My office can assist you in obtaining this information.
Using your medical coverage should not raise your premiums.
- Q:
The Insurance Company Has Been Calling Me And Wants To Settle,What
Should I Do?
A: Do
not sign or settle until you have had us evaluate your injury
for you. If you settle before your injury is fully resolved, you
will be completely on your own and will have to pay out of pocket
for your care.
- Q:
I've Been To The Hospital And My Medical Doctor, Do I ReallyNeed
to See a Chiropractor?
A: You
need a doctor that focuses in the treatment and diagnosis of auto
accident injuries. Usually hospitals will check vital signs, make
sure there are no life threatening conditions and release the
patient with pain relief medication. They normally do not treat
the underlying improper musculoskeletal biomechanics that can
and often do lead to future pain. If you are still having problems,
you should get a second opinion.
If your M.D.
has given you pills, you must understand that pills do not correct
structural or soft tissue damage. There are special therapies
designed for that, and we offer these modalities at our office.
- Q:
Does Your Care Hurt?
A: Absolutely
not. The care is very gentle and quite soothing. Most patients
can hardly wait to get their care.
- Q:
Is The Care safe?
A: Yes, extremely. Particularly when compared to the side
effects from medication. I urge you to go to the patient testimonial
tab to get a feel for what you can expect.
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Whiplash
"
... is the acceleration-deceleration mechanism of energy transfer
to the neck. The magnitude of the problem is great ...
at least one percent of the entire population will experience
chronic pain due to whiplash.”
Olson,
L. American Physical Therapy Association
The
acceleration-deceleration forces which cause whiplash injury
are sufficient to permanently disable you. Even in a
l ow
speed rear impact collision of 8 mph, your head moves
roughly 18 inches, at a force as great as 7 G’s in less
than a quarter of a second. The Discovery
space shuttle is only built to to withstand a maximum of 3
G’s.
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The
above definition states that whiplash is the transfer of energy
to the neck. What may be surprising is that this energy
transfer is not equal. The force that an accident victim
is exposed to is generally two and a half times greater than
that which the vehicle is struck. A common misconception
is that if there is no vehicle damage, there would be equally
little or no injury. Manufacturers use of rigid or stiff
motor vehicle bodies and chassis as well as improved bumper
systems also produce an increased G force to occupants involved
in car accidents.
Minor
vehicle damage may actually result in greater personal injury
.
Most
people experience neck pain either immediately after the injury
or even several days later.
Sixty-six to 70% of those suffering from whiplash complain
of headache . The pain may be on one side
or both, on again off again or constant, in one spot or more
general. These headaches, like the neck pain, are often the
result of tightened, tensed muscles trying to keep the head
stable and, like tension headaches, they are often felt behind
the eyes.
Shoulder pain
often described as pain radiating down the back of the neck
into the shoulder blade area, may also be the result of tensed
muscles.
Muscle
tears
are often described as burning pain, prickling or tingling.
More severe disc damage may cause sharp pain with certain movements,
with or without radiation into the arms, hand and fingers, which
are relieved by holding your hand over your head.
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Other
symptoms of whiplash may include the following:
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- Neck
pain and/or stiffness
- Blurred
vision
- Difficulty
swallowing
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Pain
between the shoulder blades
- Pain
in the arms or legs, feet and hands
- Headache
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- Shoulder
pain
- Nausea
- Ringing
in the ears
- Vertigo
- Numbness
and tingling
- Pain
in the jaw or face
- Abnormal
sensations such as burning or prickling
- Low
back pain and/or stiffness
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If you experience any of these symptoms, play it safe and
get a chiropractic check up.
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How
can Chiropractic Help
After a whiplash
like injury, some individuals do nothing, not realizing the damage
to their necks and potential future problems. Some will go to the
emergency room where x-rays are taken, and since no fractures are
found, are released and told to take pain killers or muscle relaxers
and they’ll be OK.
Some will go
to their MD family practitioner who will tell them about the same
thing as the ER Doctors. However, none of these doctors are trained
to recognize biomechanical pathology of the spine or understand
the critical need for functional rehabilitation after whiplash.
Therefore the majority of whiplash injuries will not be treated
properly. This injury requires the training and skills of
a chiropractor who is specifically trained to diagnose and treat
such problems. 
A recent study
in the "Journal of Orthopaedic Medicine" -1,
stated that Chiropractic was the "only proven effective
treatment" for chronic whiplash.
This respected medical journal began by saying, "Conventional
treatment of patients with whiplash symptoms is disappointing. A
retrospective study by Woodward et al., demonstrated that chiropractic
treatment benefited 26 or 28 patients (93%) suffering from chronic
whiplash syndrome. Our results confirm the efficacy of chiropractic,
with 69 of our 93 patents (74%) improving following treatment."
-2 "The results from this study provided further evidence that
chiropractic is an effective treatment for chronic whiplash symptoms..."
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References
1. Khan S,
Cook J, Gargan M, Bannister G. Asymptomatic classification of whiplash
injury and the implications for treatment. Journal of Orthopaedic
Medicine 1999;21(1):22-25.
2. Woodward
MN, Cook JCH, Gargan MF, Bannister GC. Chiropractic Treatment of
chronic whiplash injuries. Injury 1996;27:643-645.
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