Why and How Does It Work?

After an auto accident, your chiropractor will do a thorough evaluation of your entire spine. This includes your neck, mid-back, and low back. Although it may feel like one area of your spine is in pain, any region may be affected.

Your Chiropractor will be looking for:

• Restricted joint motion
• Disc Injury
• Muscle spasms
• Ligament injury

Your chiropractor has various diagnostic tests that they will perform to help determine the problem areas. This might include motion and static palpitations by means of touch. This will check for tightness, tenderness, and movement.

Your overall posture will also be examined and how you walk. This will help determine whether your body mechanics (biomechanics) are working properly.

X-rays will also be taken to evaluate your injuries such as misalignment or degeneration of the spine.These x-rays can help in determining if a MRI or CAT scan is needed for further diagnosis.

Once all these steps are taken, your chiropractor will understand your case more in depth and how to help you with an effective treatment plan.

The Stages of Whiplash Treatment

In the initial intensive or relief care phase of chiropractic care for whiplash, the main goal is to get rid of your pain and stabilize your condition as quickly as possible.

Your chiropractor will concentrate on reducing inflammation by using interferential therapy and/or gentle stretching and manual therapies. Cold therapy may also be used.

As the area becomes less inflamed, your chiropractor will begin to use spinal manipulation to help you return normal motion to your spinal joints. 

The number of times you visit a chiropractor during the relief stage will vary based on your particular condition.This phase usually lasts from a week to a month with visits for the first week or two daily and then three times a week.

Once you have passed through the relief stage, you will move onto the rehabilitative stage of therapy. During this phase, you will have begun participating in your normal activities again. However, if you do not continue treatment, your pain is likely to reappear because your condition has not yet been fully stabilized.

The goals of rehabilitative care include:

• Strength and Flexibility
• Increased muscle control and coordination
• Increased balance
• Reducing fear and avoidance or everyday activities
• Reduced incidence of future arthritic changes

This phase of care can take a few weeks to several months, depending on the severity of your condition. Typically, the amount of care is not quite as frequent as relief care.

If you’re the victim of a car accident in Wesley Chapel, FL, Augustine Chiropractic is here to help. With a specialty treating auto accident injuries, they’ll help you understand your injuries and design a treatment regimen to facilitate the recovery process. They can treat back, neck, and joint pain using the latest chiropractic knowledge and state-of-the-art equipment. Learn more about auto injury treatment by visiting them online. You can also call (813) 994-6008 to schedule an appointment today.