Auto Accident & Whiplash Injuries: Why a Chiropractic Evaluation Matters
Reviewed by Brian Augustine, D.C., clinic director, Augustine Chiropractic & Wellness Center.
Motor vehicle accidents are a common cause of neck and back injuries. Rear-end collisions, side impacts, and sudden acceleration or deceleration can place significant stress on the cervical spine, muscles, ligaments, joints, and other soft tissues.
One of the most important things to understand after an automobile accident is this: The amount of visible damage to a vehicle does not reliably predict the extent of an occupant’s injury.
During a collision, the vehicle and the people inside it may experience forces differently. Vehicle size, speed, direction of impact, seat position, head-restraint position, occupant posture, and other factors can influence how forces are transferred to the body.
At Augustine Chiropractic & Wellness Center, our chiropractic physicians evaluate patients following motor vehicle accidents to identify injuries and functional problems that may not always be obvious immediately after the collision.
Patients involved in motor vehicle accidents may experience:
Symptoms can begin immediately, but some people notice discomfort or functional limitations hours or days after an accident.
For that reason, feeling relatively well immediately after a collision does not necessarily rule out an injury.
Some symptoms after a collision are not appropriate for chiropractic evaluation and require emergency care first. Call 911 or go to an emergency department if you experience any of the following:
These symptoms may indicate an emergency requiring immediate medical evaluation.
In a rear-end collision, the vehicle may suddenly accelerate forward while the occupant’s body is moved by the seat. The head and neck can move rapidly relative to the torso. This mechanism is commonly associated with whiplash-associated disorders.
The forces involved can affect muscles, ligaments, spinal joints, discs, and other tissues.
Every accident is different. Important factors may include:
Differences between the vehicles can affect the forces generated during a collision.
The movement of the vehicles before, during, and after impact is an important part of understanding the mechanism of injury.
Rear-end, frontal, and side-impact collisions expose occupants to different forces.
A properly positioned head restraint may help limit excessive movement of the head and neck.
How the occupant is sitting at the moment of impact can influence the way forces are transmitted through the spine.
If the head is turned or positioned away from neutral at the time of impact, the neck may respond differently to collision forces.
Seat belts are critically important safety devices and reduce the risk of serious injury and death. Even while properly restrained, however, an occupant can still sustain musculoskeletal injuries during a collision.
Modern vehicles are designed with structures that absorb collision energy.
Pain is only one indication of an injury.
After an accident, adrenaline, stress, inflammation, and other factors may influence how symptoms are perceived. Some musculoskeletal injuries become more noticeable after the initial accident.
A chiropractic examination does not rely solely on how much pain you are experiencing.
Depending upon your history and examination findings, a chiropractic physician may evaluate:
Diagnostic imaging, including X-rays, may be considered when clinically appropriate based upon the patient’s history, examination, and accepted clinical indications.
Chiropractic treatment is individualized according to the patient’s diagnosis, examination findings, age, medical history, and severity of injury.
When clinically appropriate, care may include:
There is no single treatment plan that is appropriate for every automobile accident patient.
In the past, prolonged rest and immobilization were commonly recommended for many neck and back injuries. Current approaches to uncomplicated musculoskeletal injuries generally emphasize appropriate activity and a gradual return to normal movement when medically safe.
Certain injuries, including fractures, instability, significant neurological findings, or other serious conditions, may require immobilization, emergency treatment, specialist referral, or other medical management. This is one reason an appropriate examination is important before beginning treatment.
Some people recover relatively quickly following an automobile accident, while others experience persistent pain, stiffness, weakness, headaches, reduced mobility, or other symptoms.
Previous trauma can also be relevant when evaluating future neck or back complaints.
The goal of chiropractic care is not simply to reduce pain. When appropriate, treatment may also focus on restoring mobility, improving function, strengthening supporting musculature, and helping the patient return to normal daily activities.
No healthcare provider can guarantee that a particular treatment will prevent arthritis, disc degeneration, chronic pain, or disability. Prognosis depends upon the individual injury and numerous patient-specific factors.
At Augustine Chiropractic & Wellness Center in Wesley Chapel, Florida, our chiropractic physicians evaluate and treat musculoskeletal conditions associated with motor vehicle accidents.
Our goal is to identify the nature of the injury, determine an appropriate course of care, monitor functional improvement, and refer patients for additional medical evaluation when necessary.
If you’ve been involved in an automobile accident, contact Augustine Chiropractic & Wellness Center to schedule an evaluation.
If you found this interesting, you may also enjoy the opinion piece my friend (Dr. Greg Malakoff, a mobile chiropractor in Los Angeles) wrote: https://www.gregmalakoff.com/automobile-accidents-and-neck-injuries/
Please note that Dr. Malakoff and Augustine are separate unrelated practices and what he shares is his opinion. The views expressed by Dr. Malakoff are not necessarily those of Augustine Chiropractic.
This information is provided for general educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose a condition or replace individualized medical advice. Reading this article does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Treatment recommendations are based on each patient’s history, examination findings, diagnosis, and clinical needs. Results vary from patient to patient.