Accidents and Injuries

When an unexpected automobile accident occurs, it’s essential to seek immediate medical attention from a recommended car accident doctor and specialist to receive a spinal evaluation and diagnose for any possible injuries or conditions, including if the individual didn’t experience any symptoms after the incident.

Because people are not readily prepared to deal with the legal processes involved during a car accident, many individuals settle their cases with the insurance companies before they’ve had a proper medical diagnosis from a healthcare professional trained in soft-tissue injuries. Moreover, once the individual has settled their case, they lose the right for care if indeed it was necessary. It’s in one’s best interest to get the attention they need to restore the original health of their body and ensure all its structures are functioning properly.

If a recent automobile accident left those involved feeling merely sore, it is still important to check the overall health of the individual as soon as possible. Whiplash, for example, is a common neck injury caused by a sudden back-and-forth jolt of the head due to an external force and its symptoms may develop 2 to 3 months after the initial injury. In addition, a large number of people whose injuries remain undetected after suffering an auto accident, may also experience neck or low back pain, numbness, muscle stiffness, headaches, fatigue and other complications over time including arthritis.

Not only are car accidents an inconvenience, many victims describe that they don’t feel like their normal selves following the events of the incident. The trauma from an injury or an aggravated condition may also cause irritability, memory loss, difficulty concentrating while awake and difficulty sleeping at night.

A majority of people choose to ignore their symptoms after the car accident, hoping these will resolve on their own over time. Occasionally, the damage or injury from the incident may be so mild, the pains and aches may actually resolve on their own over a period of time, but when the discomfort begins to worsen, it’s time for them to seek immediate medical attention to properly determine the source of their symptoms and develop a proper treatment plan for each individual.

The sooner the individual receives a proper diagnosis and follows up with treatment, the sooner they will be able to return to their regular lifestyles without experiencing aches and pains as well as reduce the risk of future complications.

After visiting a healthcare provider due to symptoms from a car accident, the individual will have their injuries examined, documented and filed. Common automobile injuries such as whiplash, can present symptoms immediately after the accident, but sometimes, the symptoms can begin days, weeks and even months after the incident. Whiplash is a neck injury which occurs when the head moves abruptly back-and-forth due to the force of an impact, stretching and occasionally tearing the complex structures surrounding the cervical spine. Common whiplash symptoms can include; pain in the neck, arm, back and shoulders which is usually accompanied by headaches and muscle spasms as well as neck stiffness or tenderness, difficulty focusing and dizziness. Other symptoms include nerve injury along with a pins and needles sensation.

The symptoms of whiplash generally occur immediately after the automobile accident, but occasionally, these can take several hours or even days to develop.

If you have been involved in a car crash, it’s important to take prompt action in order to minimize the recovery time. According to research presented at the World Congress on Neck Pain in Los Angeles, the initial level of pain after a whiplash-related injury as well as psychological factors, such as having positive expectations for getting better, can best predict which individuals will recover quickly from whiplash.

Most cases will resolve in a matter of a few days while others may take weeks or longer to heal. It’s always recommended to seek professional medical attention after experiencing pain and discomfort, but in the meantime, the individual can utilize home remedies to relieve their symptoms while they begin their recovery process.

The spine is a complex structure surrounded by muscles, tendons, ligaments and other types of tissues. Although it is designed to be strong enough to support the weight of the head and hold the upright posture of humans, the spine is not built to withstand the shock of an automobile accident. The impact strains the muscles and ligaments in the back and the facet joints frequently bear the brunt of the force. This can result in several types of injuries, including whiplash, fractures and disc herniation. Among all these injuries and conditions, sciatica is repeatedly diagnosed throughout many accident cases.

Sciatica is best described as a set of symptoms rather than a single condition, characterized by radiating pain along the sciatic nerve, the largest single nerve in the human body.

One of the most common causes of sciatica after an auto accident is a herniated disc. The vertebral discs in the spine primarily function as a shock absorber between each vertebra. The tough yet soft jelly-like structure of the discs acts as a form of cartilaginous joint or cushion to provide smooth mobility to the spine, also acting as ligaments to hold the vertebrae of the spine together. Because the discs can absorb the majority of the shock from any direct trauma to the spine, it is possible for a disc to herniate during a car crash.

The human spine is a complex structure consisting of bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves and other tissues. Spinal health is essential towards maintaining the body’s optimal performance as it functions to support an upright posture, provides flexibility to allow the body to bend and twist freely, and most importantly, it protects the spinal cord. While a healthy back can easily be taken for granted, a back injury or other type of complication may result in long-lasting consequences that could alter an individual’s aspect of daily life.

Unfortunately, back injuries are among the most common types of complications suffered after an automobile accident. Each day, thousands of individuals are involved in head-on, side-impact, and rear-end auto collisions, often leading to spinal injuries even during minor car crashes. Depending on the force of the impact, a single or multiple areas of the back may be affected. Automobile injuries can range from mild sprains and bruises to fractured vertebrae and spinal cord damage.

If you’ve had a car accident, it’s essential to take note of any symptoms of back pain, as there are a variety of spine complications which could result after experiencing an auto collision.

The shoulder has a wider range of motion than any other joint in the body. The rotator cuff consists of four muscles and tendons which merge together to surround and protect the shoulder joint. The rotator cuff attaches the humerus to the shoulder blade, mainly functioning to provide motion to the arm, allowing it to lift and rotate in a broad extent of motions.

A tear is characterized when one of the four muscles and/or tendons around the shoulder joint become damaged or injured, usually from repetitive overuse of the shoulder, or in other cases, as a result of direct trauma from being involved in a forceful automobile accident. When a single or multiple of the rotator cuff tendons is torn, the tendon no longer fully attaches to the head of the humerus. Different types of tears may occur. A partial tear is identified as damage to the soft tissue where it hasn’t been completely severed. A full-thickness tear, also referred to as a complete tear, is identified when the soft tissue splits into two pieces. In a majority of cases, tendons may tear where they attach to the shoulder joint. With a full-thickness tear, there is essentially, a gap in the tendon.

Rotator cuff tears are most often associated with rear-end collisions, however, any type of car accident can lead to shoulder injury. During an auto accident, many individuals tend to tense up and brace their hands against the steering wheel which causes the shoulders to absorb a large amount of the force from the impact. Rotator cuff tears are very likely to occur in this instance.

A Canadian study found that a considerable percentage of individuals who’ve been injured in these types of car crashes may eventually develop a form of chronic pain.

 The research was conducted at the University of Alberta where 268 people who had suffered a grade 1 or 2 neck injury as a result of an automobile accident were evaluated. These were the least severe types of injuries as the scale also consists of grade 3 and 4. Each individual was examined at 3 months, 6 months, and at 1 year after the time of the accident. Additionally, the individuals were specifically asked the question, “Do you feel that you have recovered from your injuries?”

The end results of the study revealed that 3 months post-injury, about 38% of individuals reported pain and other symptoms. Then, 6 months post-injury results revealed that about 22% of individuals reported pain and other symptoms. Finally, the end results of the study revealed that 1 year post-injury, about 18% of individuals still reported pain and other symptoms. The results confirmed what previous research had found. A British research paper from 2009 described that as many as 5% of individuals may be permanently disabled from an auto collision and that a considerable amount of more than 5% of individuals may experience painful symptoms even 10 years or more after the initial injury.

If you’ve been involved in an automobile accident and experienced an injury that is causing you symptoms of pain and discomfort, it’s essential to seek immediate medical attention to diagnose a possible injury or aggravated condition after the collision. Early treatment can be the key to preventing chronic symptoms from developing in the first place. 

Research conducted by the University of North Carolina, Department of Anesthesiology has indicated that weight differences among individuals who’ve been involved in an automobile accident can ultimately affect the recovery rate of auto injuries. The research determined that losing weight may be a necessary means towards not only improving an individual’s overall health but also, reducing the risk of possible injuries during a future automobile accident.

The study involved 1,000 adults whom had checked into an emergency department within 24 hours after a car collision. Overall, 37% of individuals were characterized as normal weight, 32% of individuals were characterized as overweight, 18% of individuals were characterized as obese, and 13% of individuals were characterized as morbidly obese. Each individual rated their injury symptom levels on a scale of 0 to 10, mainly describing pain and discomfort on their neck, shoulders, and back. Individual assessments were conducted at the end of the study as well as six months and a year later. The researchers at the Department of Anesthesiology of the University of North Carolina discovered that the more weight an individual carried, the more likely they were to report pain and other symptoms. 

Conclusively, maintaining a healthy weight and/or weight loss is fundamental for achieving overall health, fitness, and wellness, as well as to prevent complications and improve the recovery rate of injuries after an automobile accident.

A study published in the journal BMC Public Health found that only 44% of individuals suffering from whiplash had returned to work after two years as compared to 57% of individuals with other musculoskeletal injuries.

Approximately 19-60% of individuals with whiplash-associated disorders still experience symptoms six months after the injury, and up to half of that percentage will fail to return to work within a year due to their symptoms. Researchers from Denmark conducted a study to determine whether the high rates of continuous and consistent symptoms actually affected the return-to-work rates of individuals with whiplash type injuries. By the end of the study, 56% of individuals with whiplash injuries were still on sick leave after two years. The results for this study proved to be much higher compared to the results found in earlier studies. For example, a study conducted in 2001 demonstrated that only 12% of individuals with whiplash-associated disorders hadn’t returned to their normal activities or they had resumed back only to modified job functions a year after their initial injuries. 

Regardless, both research studies showed that for individuals with chronic symptoms of whiplash, the chance of long-term work disability was greater. Active rehabilitation, such as chiropractic treatment, physical therapy, and exercise can promote an individual’s recovery as well as ensure they can return quickly to their regular lifestyles and work responsibilities.

The new study found that approximately 25.7% of individuals with whiplash injuries also experienced post traumatic stress disorder which adversely influenced their physical symptoms. Prior studies had suggested that PTSD and hypersensitivity to pain could ultimately increase the risk for an individual to develop chronic whiplash symptoms.

A study conducted by Ashley Pedler and Michele Sterling of the University of Queensland in Australia was utilized to determine whether individuals with whiplash and hypersensitivity could be categorized according to their symptoms. The study involved 331 patients who had experienced a whiplash injury approximately within 3 months from the automobile accident. Each patient was evaluated for neck pain, disability, cervical range of motion, mental health, and PTSD as well as hypersensitivity.

Numerous scientific studies have indicated that when an individual receives early treatment for their auto injuries, they have better outcomes than those individuals who chose to wait.

During a collision, whiplash injuries, the most common type of injury resulting after an accident, results when the complex tissues of the neck are stretched or torn by the force of movement. It’s also common for individuals to not feel pain and other symptoms soon after the automobile accident but as the structures of the neck become irritated, swollen, and inflamed, the symptoms of neck pain and stiffness can become present a couple of days after the initial event.

When the body suffers direct trauma, it responds to the injury by restricting movement and sending white blood cells to the affected region to begin healing the tissues. In this process, the body will then continue repairing the injured area by developing scar tissue. The issue with scar tissue involves the joints in the neck, which already have a moderately limited range of motion. Scar tissue reduces the neck’s limited mobility even further and, without proper treatment, this can lead to chronic pain, and permanent limited mobility, including spinal degeneration on the joints.

Early treatment from automobile injuries can help avoid complications by increasing the movement of the injured area and by preventing the development of scar tissue. If you’ve been involved in an auto collision resulting in neck pain and other symptoms, it’s essential to seek immediate medical attention to prevent the symptoms and other complications from developing and/or worsening.

The fundamental element for protecting yourself from whiplash injuries involves your head restraint. A wide variety of studies have found that a majority of individuals have an improperly adjusted head restraint, more commonly known as a head rest, and their incorrect use could be the key to whiplash-associated disorders. Whiplash can put hundreds of pounds of force on the complex muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other structures that surround the cervical spine, causing damage and/or injury.

A good head restraint position can be obtained by eliminating or reducing the amount of space from which the head can move. In doing so, the strain which is placed on the neck can be greatly reduced. The head restraint also needs to be positioned where the back of the head will be leveled directly with the middle of the head rest while the seat will need to be positioned where the head is placed very close to the head restraint. There should be a maximum of 2.5 inches between the head and the restraint.

Properly adjusting the head restraint of your car can help reduce the chance of neck injury during an automobile accident. If you’ve been involved in a car collision, seek immediate medical attention to diagnose any other possible injuries or developing conditions, such as whiplash, to begin medical treatment as soon as possible. Chiropractic care can provide effective treatment for many individuals with whiplash-type injuries through the use of spinal adjustments to the cervical spine as well as manual manipulation to relieve muscle pain and soreness. Additionally, a chiropractor may also recommend following a specific routine of stretches and exercises to promote faster healing for your whiplash symptoms. 

Post-traumatic stress disorder, also referred to as PTSD, is a psychological or mental health condition that develops in people who have experienced a traumatic, horrifying event. PTSD is primarily associated with soldiers returning from combat, although, this emotional ailment is not limited to military combat situations. As a matter of fact, automobile accidents are one of the leading causes of post-traumatic stress disorder nationwide.

For most people involved in an auto collision, the feelings of shock and fear may be difficult to deal with at first, but with time, patience, and plenty of self-care, their emotional health will generally restore on its own. But, if the symptoms worsen or they last for months or even years without improvement and these begin to interfere with the individual’s everyday functioning, they could have developed PTSD.

The most difficult feature about identifying PTSD, and therefore treating it, involves the numerous, different ways the condition may arise for each person. While several people can experience the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder as bad dreams or nightmares, other can experience them as anxiety in crowded places.

Whiplash occurs when the muscles and ligaments of the neck stretch further than their average range of motion. While symptoms of neck injury may not occur instantly, it’s essential to keep a close watch over any physical changes which may result following the accident and seek medical attention as soon as possible to properly diagnose the presence of any other spinal complications. Although whiplash is considered a relatively mild condition, it can cause long-term pain and discomfort.

During an auto collision, the sudden force of the impact causes an individual’s head to abruptly move back-and-forth in any direction, depending on the type of car crash. The rapid flexion and extension of the neck pulls and extends the muscles, straining the soft tissues around the cervical spine, occasionally causing them to tear.

After several years of research, it’s evident that the spinal ligaments can be stretched and/or torn during an automobile accident. Prior research has shown that the anterior longitudinal ligaments, the transverse ligaments, and the facet capsules, found within the neck, can be damaged or injured even in minor crashes.

Whiplash and other type of neck injuries can occur from any type of auto accident, especially a rear-end collision. During the abrupt and forceful movement from a car crash, the body goes through an extremely rapid and intense acceleration and deceleration where the individual’s head can move back-and-forth very suddenly and with great force in any direction. As a result, the soft tissues of the neck extend beyond their normal range of motion, damaging and injuring the various structures surrounding the cervical spine.

Symptoms of whiplash generally appear within 24 hours following the incident, however, sometimes the symptoms may develop after a few days, weeks, or even months after the automobile accident. Many individuals believe they are not as injured as they really are, that’s why it’s always essential to seek immediate medical attention after being involved in an auto accident in order to determine the presence of an injury or detect the early development of a much serious medical condition.

The most commonly reported symptoms of whiplash include neck pain and discomfort, accompanied by stiffness, headaches, especially at the base of the skull, dizziness, blurred vision and constant fatigue. Other, less common symptoms associated with chronic whiplash include, chronic pain on the neck, shoulder or head, difficulty concentrating or retaining memory, irritability, ringing in the ears and/or inability to get a good night’s rest.

Automobile accidents are often unpredictable circumstances which can involve many complications. Whether it’s a minor or severe collision, many individuals are forced to deal with all the implications that come after being involved in an auto accident on their own, a frustrating process that frequently ends with victims being on the losing end of their benefits. Injured and without a car, approaching the best course of action following an auto accident doesn’t need to be a difficult circumstance and we know the best procedures to help you recover from your situation.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 2.6 million individuals are injured each year in automobile accidents, accounting for 95 percent of all injury causing accidents on the roads. During a car crash, the sudden force of the impact can commonly cause subluxations or spinal misalignments in the body, a condition where the complex structures surrounding the spine are affected, distorting the normal alignment of the vertebra, irritating nerves, ligaments, and discs, overall affecting their natural function and your health.

Automobile accidents are one of the principal causes of spine complications and are responsible for more than 40 percent of spinal injuries every year, according to the Mayo Clinic. While the best possible precautions can be taken to avoid tissue damage or injury in the case of an auto collision, car accidents can be unpredictable and may not always be prevented, but knowing the right information can help an individual recognize a possible injury as well as be aware of the next steps to take for recovery.

 The spine is a complex structure consisting of bone, muscle, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels and nerves. Although its capable of supporting the whole weight of your body in order to promote a proper balance, the spine can also be considered to be a delicate structure. The spine is not built to withstand the impact of a car accident and unfortunately, neck and back injuries are common during car accidents. The force of the impact causes strain on the ligaments and muscles in the back, and the facet joints endure the majority of the brunt from the collision. This can lead to several injuries including, whiplash, disc herniation, compression fractures, and spondylolisthesis.

A research conducted from the University of Alberta demonstrated that consistent recording of an individual’s pain and discomfort in a journal may actually slow down their recovery from whiplash-associated disorders.

The research involved 60 individuals diagnosed with acute whiplash injuries. Each individual was randomly designated to one of two separate groups: a symptom diary group or a control group. The individuals from the symptom diary group were asked to manage a journal rating their overall levels of pain for each day. Additionally, individuals from both groups received physical therapy for their whiplash-type injuries. After three months of treatment, the individuals were evaluated for recovery. Overall, 59% of the individuals within the symptom diary group reported recovery as compared to 86% of the individuals within the control group. 

The author of the study, Robert Ferrari, concluded that not only was using a pain diary unfavorable towards recovery but its use might actually be more harmful for the individual. Ferrari explained that keeping a pain diary could make an individual more aware of their symptoms, leading to incorrect perceptions of prognosis. Negative attitudes have before been linked to chronic pain symptoms in individuals with whiplash-type injuries and low back pain.

“While diaries may serve a useful purpose to facilitate practitioner-patient communication about symptoms and to track the course of symptoms, the benefits have not been demonstrated”, Ferrari wrote.

Research has discovered that individuals with whiplash-type injuries may share various characteristics of those with Achilles tendonosis, offering further insight into possible new treatment options for chronic whiplash symptoms. The study analyzed the tendons of individuals with whiplash-associated disorders and found signs of pathological neovascularization, or the development of blood vessels in abnormal tissues, comparable to what has been found in individuals with Achilles tendonosis.

The research conducted to examine the symptoms of chronic pain in the Achilles and patellar tendons demonstrated the presence of high blood flow in the more painful areas of the tendons. Additionally, later studies revealed that these particularly painful tendons showed the characteristic similarity of blood vessel growth in abnormal tissues. Through the study, researchers also determined that injections of anesthetics into these vessels could provide temporary symptom relief.

The researchers from Umea University in Sweden utilized the same imaging techniques used in the Achilles tendonosis studies to determine changes in the tendons of individuals who suffered from whiplash injuries during auto collisions. Individuals with whiplash showed more areas with high blood flow, and the blood flow was intensified at each examined region. Areas of high blood flow were evident where the tendons entered into the bone. In the study, women with whiplash were more likely to have more areas of high blood flow than men, evidence that may suggest why there’s higher rates of whiplash injuries in women.

For individuals who’ve been involved in an automobile accident, the symptoms of neck and back pain resulting from an injury can be disabling. The greatest issue with neck and back pain caused during an auto collision involves the continuous cycle of the body when it reacts to injury. Due to the traumatic nature of the accident, the damage or injury to the spine most often causes a chemical response to trigger, leading to symptoms of pain, inflammation, and swelling, well-known signs that unfortunately don’t resolve quickly.

Many chiropractors commonly diagnose and treat neck and back complications affecting individuals after being involved in an auto accident. After suffering an injury, it’s important to seek immediate medical attention to begin treatment for your injuries. When the body experiences trauma from an injury, its normal for the body to produce inflammatory chemicals that cause the region surrounding the tissue damage to become inflamed and swollen but if the individual doesn’t receive medical treatment, the chemical process will continue, causing worse symptoms to develop.

In addition to chiropractic care, applying ice therapy to the area of the injury and staying active can help improve the symptoms of the injury. Using ice can help temporarily reduce the inflammation on the muscle tissues and it also offers relief from the pain. Walking, for example, is a simple physical activity that can help stimulate the body to produce natural pain killers as well as help maintain the body’s flexibility.

A chiropractor can easily diagnose the source of your neck and back pain to decide which spinal adjustments, exercises, and stretches will be the best option for your type of injury and level of symptoms in order to speed up the healing process and promote the best recovery.

During an auto accident, the structure and surrounding tissues of the spine can be stretched or torn. The region around the injury can then become irritated, leading to inflammation and swelling that triggers pain signals throughout the spine and brain. Pain symptoms function to inform the nervous system of complications on the site of the injury. As a result, the nervous system relays the message for the muscles surrounding the area of pain to contract in order to protect the area from further injury.

If the injury is left untreated for a long period of time, the body can develop an adverse cycle. The nerves around the injured area will continue to send pain signals, triggering the central nervous system to continue reacting. Studies have shown that the pain centers of the brain become over-stimulated or sensitized to pain stimuli which in turn can make the body over-sensitive to pain in general. Medical research has demonstrated that individuals who’ve been involved in an automobile accident and shown chronic pain symptoms are actually more susceptible to pain in their hands and feet, often times locations which are further from the source of their original injury.

Research shows that chiropractic treatment is an effective option for reducing the chronic symptoms from automobile accident injuries. A chiropractor can help diagnose the source of an individual’s pain to begin treatment for their specific injury and level of symptoms. Through the use of spinal adjustments, chiropractic care can help progressively restore an individual’s original health naturally.

Over the last 10 years, new research has found that TMJ and its well-known symptoms resulting after an auto accident could actually originate from neck complications. After a neck injury, the pain signals travel from the spine to the brainstem. In this process, the nerves from numerous areas of the body also travel into the brainstem where they will gather together before being transmitted to the pain centers of the brain. As the nerve signals converge, the various signals can become crossed and confused.

The nerves found on the jaw connect through the neck with pain receptors from the spine. As chronic pain signals from an automobile injury trigger an over-stimulation, an individual suffering from a neck injury such as whiplash can also experience pain in other areas of the head, including the jaw. The jaw then reacts to the constant symptoms of pain by tensing up the muscles surrounding the jaw, causing even more pain and discomfort.

Chiropractic care is an effective treatment option for individuals who’ve experienced damage or injury as a result of an auto accident. With the use of spinal adjustments, manual manipulation, and occasional stretches and exercises, a chiropractor can help a person with temporomandibular joint disorders and other neck complications recover from their injuries. By getting to the root cause of your pain, a chiropractor can get you back on the road to health.