How chiropractors speed recovery after an accident
After the initial shock of an injury has passed, your doctor will most likely recommend further rehabilitation. While many choose physical therapy as their first step, chiropractic care might also be recommended for musculoskeletal injuries.
What is chiropractic care? How can a chiropractor help after an accident? Let’s find out.
Chiropractors practice from the perspective that biomechanical and structural abnormalities of the spine directly affect the nervous system. This means that by restoring the proper structure to the spine, health can improve. By restoring spinal mobility, issues with the nervous system are reduced.
What does a chiropractor do?
Chiropractors are health care providers who are focused on manipulation of the spine. By manually adjusting the body, they can both diagnose and treat mechanical or neuromuscular disorders. This helps reduce pain and improve range of motion, helping patients to function as they should.
Patients are also offered information on exercise, ergonomics and other self-treatment that can improve their complaints after an injury from an accident.
A Consumer Reports study of 3,500 individuals with back pain found that nearly 90% of them had success with chiropractic care. This approach can alleviate the need for prescription painkillers and get patients back to their routines faster.
How does chiropractic care work?
Chiropractors treat by manual or spinal manipulation. Many people imagine that chiropractors are simply “back crackers,” yanking on limbs until they are in proper alignment. That is not how it works. Their goal is to reduce subluxation of the bones (which means that bones are out of alignment). By essentially pushing these bones back into position, function is restored.
Manipulations take more than 100 forms; the practitioner might perform a “high velocity, short lever arm thrust to a vertebra,” also called an HVLA, which can attempt to relieve joint pressure by releasing gas (joint cavitation). There are also low-force techniques for conditions like osteoporosis, which would not fare well with the more rigorous approach.
Chiropractors might also use a combination of heat and cold along with electrostimulation if the patient needs additional help. They can treat everything from back pain to migraines.
The efficacy of chiropractic care in treating headaches has been found to be no better than a placebo – but both the placebo and chiropractic care worked better than pain-relieving medications.
How do I find a chiropractor who can help after my accident?
Your medical professional will likely have recommendations, though you can also use the “find a chiropractor” function on Spine-Health.com. This allows you to search by town or zip code in a certain radius. Make sure to get an idea of how much experience the practitioner has with your condition.
Learn more about injuries after a car accident and how to hire a lawyer if you think you may have a lawsuit.