If you're ever involved in a car accident, there's a good chance you will suffer an injury.
Even if you're lucky enough to escape without serious injuries, you probably experience soreness or pain after your accident due to the impact.
They may seem like mere annoyances, but slight pains like this can become chronic issues if they aren't treated.
To make sure minor aches and pains don't become a chronic issue, you should see a chiropractor.
If you don't know much about seeing a chiropractor, it may seem daunting, and you probably have a lot of questions, like how often you need to see a chiropractor after a car accident.
In the article below, we will answer that question and many more.
Table of Contents
- What Is A Chiropractor?
- When Should I Visit The Chiropractor?
- What Will The Chiropractor Do?
- How Often Should I Go?
- How Long Should I Go to a Chiropractor After an Accident?
- When Should I Stop Chiropractic Treatment?
- Can You Go To The Chiropractor Too Much?
- Choose Florida Spine and Injury
What Is a Chiropractor?
There are over 70,000 state-licensed chiropractors in the U.S., but do you know exactly what they do?
A doctor of chiropractic deals with the mechanics of your musculoskeletal system, paying particular attention to the spine.
They also support other joints and as well as your nervous system.
They use natural, non-invasive treatments to avoid addictive medications or invasive surgeries to help you heal.
Your chiropractor will focus on both prevention and diagnosis of injuries.
With regular chiropractic care, your body will be able to heal itself without relying on other interventions.
About half of Americans will use chiropractic care at some point in their lives, and 14% have seen chiropractors within the last year.
Some of those chiropractic patients go after they've been in an accident while others regularly go for maintenance and prevent problems.
A chiropractic adjustment is a manual adjustment to the joints, most commonly the spine.
Chiropractors use thrusts and pressure with their hands or special tools to make those adjustments.
The goal of a chiropractic adjustment is to get the spine back in alignment, reducing the strain on muscles and the nerves, easing the pain.
Chiropractors can also incorporate other therapies into your treatment plan, including:
- spinal traction
- massage
- exercise
- heat and cold therapy
- ultrasound
- electrical muscle stimulation
Some chiropractors also include diet and lifestyle changes to support recovery.
When Should I Visit the Chiropractor?
This answer will vary from person to person and depends on the severity of your symptoms following an accident.
If you suffer critical injuries, you will be taken care of on the scene and transferred to a hospital to have them addressed.
For many people, no issues are apparent until hours or days after the crash.
That's when they will begin to experience sore and achy muscles, headaches, and body aches.
If you're suffering from discomfort that won't go away or experience headaches and dizziness, making an appointment with a chiropractor should be your next step.
What Will the Chiropractor Do?
Your chiropractor will be able to treat many symptoms of your car accident.
Back pain is widespread after car accidents, and back pain is in the chiropractor's area of expertise.
Whiplash injuries are also common in accidents, especially rear-end collisions.
Whiplash often results in strains in the soft tissues of the neck.
No matter what injuries you sustain during your accident, your chiropractor will perform a comprehensive physical exam after reviewing your medical history.
The chiropractor will also ask you about your accident and the symptoms you feel.
They may do lab tests or diagnostic imaging like x rays to gather additional information about your injuries so they can make an accurate diagnosis.
With this information, your chiropractor will be able to form an initial diagnosis for your injuries.
After that, they will design a treatment plan tailored to your needs.
In most cases, you will start your chiropractic treatment right away so your injuries can start healing.
Your chiropractor will monitor your progress at every appointment to see if the treatment is working.
If they deem it necessary, adjustments can be made to the treatment plan.
How Often Should I Go?
Some people think their chiropractor wants to see them too often.
But depending on your car accident injuries, you may need to see a chiropractor several times to get the full effects of treatment.
Chiropractic is a manual therapy treatment, and your body needs multiple treatments to train it to stay in alignment.
Chiropractic care is a marathon, not a sprint.
Your body needs time to heal and maintain proper alignment, and your chiropractor will determine how often you need treatment.
The frequency of your visits depends heavily on the type and severity of your injuries.
Most people start with frequent appointments for intense initial treatments that are eventually spaced out as your body heals until you finish treatment.
It's not uncommon for your chiropractor to want to see you three to five times per week immediately after your injury.
But once your pain and symptoms are under control, that will drop to two to three times per week, and then to once a week.
Once you've fully healed, your chiropractor may suggest regular maintenance appointments to make sure everything stays aligned.
How Long Should I Go to a Chiropractor After an Accident?
Again, the overall length of your treatment depends on your injuries and what your chiropractor recommends.
How long you ultimately go to the chiropractor will depend on your specific injury and your overall well-being before the accident.
If you have severe injuries, you could end up needing chiropractic care for weeks or months. If it's minor, the length will obviously be shorter.
It also depends on your body and how quickly it heals.
It can take some patients weeks or months to heal from minor injuries, while other patients recover faster from injuries that were thought to be more severe.
Your chiropractor will usually give you an estimate of how long you'll need to attend sessions during your free consultation.
But keep in mind that it's only an estimate, and it can always change as your care progresses.
Your chiropractor will evaluate your progress at each appointment to see if you're progressing as expected.
If you heal ahead of schedule, you could be released early, or you might need more appointments if you take longer to heal.
Your chiropractor might discover additional injuries after the initial diagnosis that require you to go longer.
It's ultimately up to your chiropractor to decide how long you need treatments.
Everyone heals at different rates, so there are no standard treatment lengths. It all comes down to your injuries and healing process.
When Should I Stop Chiropractic Treatment?
Some people use chiropractic care as a regular wellness activity for their entire life.
If you sustain chronic injuries during your accident, you will always need treatment.
But a full recovery is achievable for most people involved in accidents.
Any chiropractor's goal is to restore you to full health, and they will determine when you have reached that point.
Your treatments will end depending on your recovery and when you feel comfortable completing your treatment.
Can You Go To The Chiropractor Too Much?
There is no harm in going to the chiropractor every day or even multiple times a day, but it is typically unnecessary.
When you go to a chiropractor, they will design a treatment plan with you that is meant to alleviate your pain and help your body recover between sessions.
Your treatment plan can be adjusted as you begin to feel more or less pain and understand your body's needs further.
Choose Florida Spine and Injury
After an accident, it's vital to choose the right chiropractor for you.
At Florida Spine and Injury, our chiropractors are trained to work with victims of car accidents to get them the medical attention you need.
They will give you the chiropractic treatment you need to make a full recovery.
Florida Spine and Injury provides personalized care to each of their patients based on their accident and accident injuries.
They use state of the art technology to properly diagnose your injuries and stop at nothing to ensure your care is comprehensive and tailored to your needs.
If you have recently been involved in an accident, call Florida Spine and Injury today to schedule a Free Consultation with an accident injury chiropractor.
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