Injuries Archives - Life Symmetry Chiropractic-Blog

Should I See A Chiropractor After A Car Accident?

Michael Schuneman, DC
August 28, 2015June 15, 2020

You are sitting at the stop light waiting for the light to change. If you are like many people, you may even take that time to quick check your phone. You hear the screech of tires a split second before you feel the impact. Luckily, it wasn’t that bad of an accident. Your bumper is a little banged and dented but you feel okay.

A few days later you notice that your neck feels stiff and a little sore. You take some pain relievers and go on your way. You may even think that maybe you should have it checked out. But who would you go to? And how long would it take? So you wait and see and in a week or two you are feeling ‘better’ so you put it out of your mind.

I don’t know if this situation sounds familiar to you or not. But as a chiropractor in Colorado Springs I have heard similar stories recounted to me many times. Often I hear about this months or even years later when someone is in my office with back and/or neck pain.

In this post I wanted to give you some of the reasons that I think after any kind of car accident you should get checked by a chiropractor, even if it was a low-speed accident.

First, let’s talk about low-speed collisions. It makes sense that in a low-speed collision you are less likely to get hurt than a high-speed collision. However injuries or even death can occur in a low-speed car accident.

In a report from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles in the year 1999 alone there were over 500 fatalities and over 50,000 injuries from low-speed crashes. A low-speed crash being defined as no vehicle traveling over 10 mph and not involving bicycles or pedestrians.

I mention this information because you can be injured even in a low-speed accident. In fact, it is not uncommon to be injured in a low-speed crash. The question that remains is how extensive is the injury?

Going back to the story at the beginning, often people know there is some injury but think it isn’t that ‘bad’ because the pain wasn’t intense or didn’t last very long. I can tell you that even if the pain goes away quickly there can be injuries that change the way you move and, in turn, can have significant consequences months to years down the road!

Now the reason you should see a chiropractor after a car accident even if you were checked out in the emergency room or by another doctor is because chiropractors are looking for different injuries. In the emergency room or at the doctor’s office they are mostly looking for life-threatening and debilitating injuries. As a chiropractor, I am looking for much more subtle changes in the movement of the spine and muscle tone that can affect how you function in day to day life and that could lead to problems in the future.

I often see patients who were injured years ago and that injury has contributed to their current pain and stiffness. Because when you change how a joint moves it changes the stress on the joint as well. Also specifically with the spine, when the bones of the spine are not moving properly or are misaligned it can put extra stress on the nerves. This leads to the body not being able to function as well as it could and hinder healing, even if there isn’t pain.

So yes, I recommend that everyone that is in any kind of car accident should be checked by a chiropractor. If there isn’t any injury affecting the movement and alignment of the spine, that is great! But seeing a chiropractor would be the only way to know since chiropractors are one of the only doctors that are even looking for it.

If you would like to know more and are in the Colorado Springs area feel free to contact our office. If you are other areas talk to a chiropractor near you.

Patients Can Reach Their Physical Recovery Goals With Natural Chiropractic Approaches To Healing

Michael Schuneman, DC
June 30, 2015June 15, 2020

Patients who want to find the best path toward recovery from an injury or a debilitating physical condition might find satisfaction through chiropractic treatment in Colorado Springs. Through the combination of education and skills, along with a more holistic approach than traditional medical treatments, patients might find that chiropractic care is what they have needed all along. People who have sustained injuries or illnesses that have lingered and caused secondary problems can feel a sense of hope that they can avoid starting, or continuing, medications or resorting to invasive surgery.

Whether the patient suffers from back pain, neck pain or some type of nerve problem throughout the body, a chiropractic professional can help them work toward recovery, living a happy, healthy and active life. Since the body really works together as a system, it makes sense that you need to look at the entire body when something is wrong. This is a foundation of chiropractic practice. Everything in the human body, from the toes to the top of the head, takes its cues from the nervous system. The nerves transport messages from the brain to a specific spot in the body and then returns response signals back to the brain. While a beautifully complex system, yet it is not difficult to create a clear image of it for patients.

The problem comes when the messages get crossed or garbled. That’s where a professional and highly qualified chiropractic practitioner comes into the picture. A chiropractor can help clear the neural pathways to let the signals make it to their destination, which allows the appropriate messages to flow and the body begins to heal. While chiropractic treatments do not conclusively heal injuries, they help each patient open up the possibility of healing.

Chiropractors offer a wide range of services and treatments for patients. Some of the conditions and injuries that chiropractors treat include back, neck, shoulder, knee, arm, ankle and wrist pain associated with a specific injury or wear and tear from overuse or aging. Other things that a chiropractic practitioner can treat include sciatica, headaches, carpel tunnel, scoliosis, whiplash, sports or work injuries, stress, boosting the immune system, constipation, allergies, pregnancy, colicky babies, children’s growing pains, sleep problems, and much more.

Regardless of the condition or injury, chiropractic patients often feel good about their care, knowing it is a natural way to approach their physical ailment. Patients also feel good because they are a part of the healing process by doing their own exercises and trying to reduce stress and other contributing factors to their situation.