According to the National Safety Council, more than 2 million Americans are injured in auto-accidents every year. Though many of the injuries may be thought of as minor, if not treated properly, these injuries can affect your health and function for the rest of your life.

Anytime there is an injury, no matter how it may occur, during sports, at work, a fall or as with an auto accident, the human body must absorb what can be very powerful forces. These forces can and do have negative, even damaging effects on the muscles, tendons, ligaments & joints of the body.

One very common injury, even in what may be considered a minor accident (or Fender –Bender) is Whiplash.  Whiplash is an injury that occurs to a person’s neck following a sudden acceleration-deceleration force that causes unrestrained, rapid forward and backward movement of the head and neck. Sometimes in an accident where your vehicle gets T-boned (side impact) your head may be violently jerked from side to side. This can be even worse than getting hit from behind. The added complication here is damage to the little joints on the side of your neck (cervical spine), which can cause nerve damage and spinal problems. In addition to neck and back pain, headaches often result from whiplash injury.

When someone comes into our office due to an auto injury, we do a full and thorough consultation. Once this is done, we will develop a  treatment plan designed for optimal recovery. Our focus begins with the chiropractic adjustment, where we very gently and effectively realign the spine and restore proper range of motion to the joint. As treatment progresses we may include treatment such as electric muscle stimulation, heat and cold therapy, massage therapy, as well as a rehabilitative exercise plan to strengthen and stabilize the spine, or rehabilitate the spinal muscles.

One thing important to note is that people who seek treatment right away after an auto accident, is that it’s easier to fix the spine and to help soft tissues heal properly. If someone waits too long the soft tissues — ligaments, tendons, and muscle build up scar tissue.

Please remember if you are dealing with whiplash injuries, or any injuries sustained in an auto accident – leaving things untreated will only lead to other degenerative problems in the future. If you, or someone you know could benefit from addressing injuries from a car accident please call Holten Wellness Center to schedule an evaluation right away. 937-435-8480