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The Most Common Injuries After a Car Crash- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

You might sustain serious injuries after a car crash that can impact you for weeks and even years to come. In fact, studies have shown that 20-50 million people are injured every year in an automobile accident.  Some injuries may resolve within days without any medical intervention, but the more serious types require the best treatment measures to avert the risk of some permanent damage or physical disability.

That being said, the injuries resulting from a car crash are varied based on the individual circumstances of each collision. However, some types of injuries are more common after an auto accident.

Check the most common injuries after a car crash below and learn what you need to do after getting involved in an accident.

1. Head Injuries

Head injuries are one of the most common forms of injuries after an auto accident. It can be severe or mild depending on you and your head placement. Some can be mild, but most times you should never take these injuries lightly because they can be life-threatening.

If you’re involved in a minor crash, you may have an impact with the steering wheel and this may cause a little more than a bruise or bump. But if it is a severe collision, you may suffer concussions or brain tissue damage.

Hence, you need to get a full medical evaluation anytime you suspect a head injury. Take note that head injuries may be hard to diagnose at first (may just feel like a mild headache), but it is advisable to visit an injury doctor to rule out any potential problems.

2. Whiplash

This is a common injury after a car crash and it occurs when your neck whips back and forth in an accident causing spraining and straining of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

This happens when the driver is rear-ended and the common symptoms include:

• Neck stiffness
• Headache
• Pain

You may not feel the pain from whiplash until the following day or two days after. But most times, you tend to feel better in a few weeks. Serious cases, however, can cause pains that last for several months or years.

3. Back Injuries

Back injuries are also part of the most common injuries after a car crash. They can appear as spinal cord injuries and may result in body paralysis in very extreme but rare cases. However, mild cases can cause issues like back pain, spinal pain or even a bulged disc or herniated disk.

Back injuries are not always obvious like head injuries. Hence, you need to go for a consult a Chiropractor to get a thorough screening after your accident.

4. Broken bones

When the physical force applied to the bone in a car crash carries more strength than the bone itself, it can cause a broken bone.  A simple bone fracture involves bones breaking without open wounds, but in the compound fractures, it penetrates through the skin.

It is easy to know you have a broken bone- you won’t be able to move the body part (or you might feel severe pains while moving). You will definitely want to consult with your local emergency room or urgent care facility for proper evaluation and diagnosis.

5. Psychological injuries

Apart from the visible injuries, you may also suffer some psychological injuries after a car crash. Some people develop a phobia of driving. Others may feel depressed, especially if the accident caused serious injuries or death.

If you’re in this category, and you struggle with heightened feelings of depression or anxiety, you may seek psychotherapeutic intervention to help you heal completely and get back to your normal life without any fears.

Other common injuries after a car crash include:

• Chest injuries
• Arm and leg injuries
• Scrapes and cuts
• Burns

Getting a Chiropractic Care

You need to keep in mind that some injuries may be delayed and may not be visible until after many days, weeks, or even months. So if you are involved in a car crash, it is advisable to seek immediate medical intervention for even the slightest discomfort you feel. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC for a proper check-up and effective treatment measure to any automobile injuries.

How Auto Accidents Can Cause Delayed Pain – especially low impact collisions- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

A lot of people feel an auto accident isn’t that bad, especially when they’re not feeling any pain at the moment. Yea, imagine you were driving calmly to work, switching between your favorite jam stations, when suddenly heard a crunch at the trunk of your car with your head whipping back and forth.

The low-impact collision smashed your taillights but you felt okay because you didn’t experience any pains at the moment. So you took notes, exchanged information with the other motorist, and zoom off without signing any release form of settlement (fortunate for you).

But after a few weeks, you begin to discover symptoms of whiplash injury and wonder why it is delayed. Well, it is quite common for injury-related pain after an auto accident to be delayed and they can appear in different ways.

Types of Delayed pains after an Auto/Car accident

You may not notice some pains at the time of an accident, but as times goes on (maybe one or more weeks), you may start experiencing symptoms of serious injury. Some common types of pain that can be delayed after an auto accident include the following:

Pain in the Neck or shoulders: You may experience pain in your neck and shoulder right after an accident, but it can be delayed sometimes, emerging several days later. This is often a sign of whiplash and could also indicate a spinal injury.

Headaches: You need to observe the severity and location of the pain. It could be a sign of whiplash, concussion, neck injury, brain injury, or even a blood clot. However, it could be stress-related or caused by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after an accident.

Numbness, tingling, etc.: You can feel these types of sensations when you have a herniated disc that presses or pinches on nerves in the spine. This pinching can result in tingling, numbness, or other sensations.

Back pain: This form of pain can also be delayed and it may be a sign of a whiplash-related injury. Besides, it could also be a sign of a herniated disc, sprain, or other injuries like muscle damage.

Emotional pain: You may feel anxiety, depression, or sometimes PTSD after the whole accident chaos goes down. In this case, it may be associated with physical injury or the actual incident. But if you suffer brain injuries, it may also lead to emotional pain and suffering.

Abdominal pain: If you experience internal soft-tissue injuries, it can be fatal if left untreated. So if you notice it days after an accident, ensure you seek immediate medical attention. When you have internal bleeding, it may cause dizziness, headaches, and deep bruising.

What to do before signing a release of liability for settlement

If you want to settle a car accident claim, it is customary for you to sign a release of liability form as the injured party. So this ends the lawsuit and all future claims around the accident.

But unfortunately, a lot of people do not get an opportunity to ascertain all of the injuries caused by the auto-accident, especially when it is a low-impact collision. This may cause you to lose out on compensation for injuries and pains that are delayed.

So, it is advisable to get a complete medical evaluation before signing any such release. You can consult our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC to get the best check-up to know where you have delayed pains. In addition to this, you can also get an accurate estimate of the medical cost that these injuries might incur in the future.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones if you notice any of the above-listed pains several days after an auto accident. We would help you diagnose the symptoms and treat potential lingering problems using our corrective Chiropractic techniques.

Why Whiplash is a Big Deal- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

Have you ever experienced an increased tenderness in your neck and shoulder after a minor car accident? Maybe you even disregarded it, thinking its only whiplash and it would subside on its own after a couple of ibuprofen and a little ice. But that’s a big mistake many people are making. You don’t discount a whiplash injury. It can become more serious if you don’t take proper treatment measures. And the best way to take care of whiplash has been the use of corrective Chiropractic care.

You need to understand that your whiplash injury is more than just a sore neck. A lot happens in your body which you may not know. Well, read on to learn about whiplash injury, its symptoms, and the best treatment measure.

What does whiplash mean?

Whiplash was first known as the “railway spine” because it was commonly experienced in train accidents. But as cars became more popular as a means of mobility, car crashes became the most common culprits for whiplash injury. However, whiplash can occur from any number of accidents or collisions.

During a car accident, your head and neck tend to whip forward and backward after a change in acceleration. This stretches, sprains, and strains your tendons, disc, and muscles beyond what you’re used to, and it creates tears in the soft tissues.  You may even get a concussion if your body is thrashed around with enough force.

More so, research by Harvard shows that if you’re rear-ended by a car moving 10 miles an hour, your neck can still experience up to 9 Gs of force. This means your neck can move nine times the force of gravity.

Common Symptoms of Whiplash

Your neck vertebra may suffer the injury, but the pains of a whiplash injury can be felt in all parts of your body. Some common symptoms accompanying this injury include:

• Pain when moving your neck
• Stiffness
• Decreased range of motion
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Arm tingling and numbness
• Jaw pain
• Dizziness
• Tenderness or pain in the upper back, shoulder, or arms

Take note that you may not feel any of these symptoms immediately after a car accident. The adrenaline rush at that moment may mask the symptoms for days or even weeks. Hence, it is advisable to seek medical attention after a car accident for proper checks and treatment.

What happens If your leave whiplash Untreated?

Whiplash is not always revealed in traditional imaging testing because it is a soft-tissue injury. And this has caused many people to think it is a fabricated condition.

But the long-term side effects of not treating whiplash injury can be severe. The pain can become more chronic as time goes by.

You may start to experience:

• Sleep disturbances
• Chronic headaches
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Poor concentration/memory
• 80% more likely to develop osteoarthritis of the spine

It is quite hard to predict your likelihood of developing these complications. Hence, you need to take quick action and go for proper treatment to prevent long-term consequences and get back to your normal life.

Treatment Options for Whiplash Injury

Most medical doctors do recommend pain medication, rest, ice, or physical therapy for more severe cases. However, Chiropractic care has been the most effective measure that keeps pain medications away and lessens your recovery time.

At our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC, we offer corrective Chiropractic care for whiplash injury, and we also help if the car accident caused your vertebrae to shift out of alignment. 

We have a team of experts led by Dr. Jason Jones who uses a combination of measures including therapeutic exercises, soft-tissue therapy, spinal adjustments, low-level laser therapy and E-stim treatment to encourage the body to heal naturally without any drugs.

So you see Whiplash injury is truly a big deal and you shouldn’t take it lightly. You can reach today at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC to get great care.

Recovering from an Auto Accident- Dr. Jason Jones Elizabeth City NC, Chiropractor

You need proper care and enough time when recovering from an auto accident. You might have sustained different injuries from the accident, and it would take a little time to heal completely. However, each recovery time depends on the person, activity, level, pre-accident health, and the severity of the injury.

So you may have to visit your doctor regularly, miss some working days, and follow some useful tips. Besides, Chiropractic care has been the most effective way to enhance recovery from an auto accident. And that’s what we help you achieve at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC.

Recovery from an Auto Accident takes time

You may desire to get back to work and normal life routine very early, but you need to let your body be the guide. This will require you to follow your body’s cues as to when your healing process is complete and when you’re ready to resume your normal life.

So have it in mind that your recovery can take days, weeks, months, or years, and this depends on the extent of your injury.  More so, apart from physical injuries, you may have to deal with the emotional injury caused by the accident (which takes even longer time to heal). You may find that you’re afraid to drive or even stay in a car at all, but this fear often passes with time and the right treatment.

Useful tips for recovering from an auto accident

There are many treatment measures available for treating auto accident injuries, and the best has been Chiropractic care.   However, here are some tips for quicker recovery and complete healing:

Follow your doctor’s instructions: Your doctor will usually give you some instructions and recommendations in the first few days of recovery. And it is important to follow those instructions to prevent further damage.

Exercise: Exercise works a great deal to help the body heal itself. But you need to speak with an expert injury doctor before starting any routine. You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC to get advice as to when your body is ready to begin. However, it is good to start with light stretches like some beginner yoga to see if your body will tolerate the movement. It if does, then you can progress into a more rigorous routine later.

Stay hydrated and rest well: You need to stay hydrated and take enough rest to allow your body to produce more of the healing cells to repair those that are damaged. Instead of exerting energy in other activities, your body will be able to focus all of this energy on repairing the damaged tissue even as you rest. This helps to speed up your recovery time.

Eat healthily: You need to ensure your diet is full of vitamins and proteins, which are essential nutrients for the recovery process. These two components will boost your body’s healing process and reduce the recovery time.

How Can a Chiropractor help?

You should seek early care and treatment after an auto accident. This helps to enhance quick recovery. So it is advisable to consult a Chiropractor to get evaluated as soon as possible and know the best treatment plan that will put you on the road to recovery.

Besides, you may have delayed pains after an auto accident that may show up days or weeks after. So make sure you consult a Chiropractor as soon as possible. You can reach Dr. Jason at our Chiropractic office at Elizabeth City, NC.

Chiropractic care will make adjustments to your spine if needed and might employ foam roller techniques or massage to help you find relief and recover from an auto accident. You will also get nutritional counseling and exercise plans that will boost the healing process to help you regain your full range of motion.