Dr. Jean-Pierre Khreich has been providing the most advanced treatment for car accident injury in Huntington Beach and Long Beach, California for decades. Fitness Chiropractic & Massage Therapy combines the most effective treatment methods in both eastern and western medicines. Dr. Khreich utilizes a multi-disciplinary approach to deliver the most effective treatment for the relief of whiplash, back pain and neck pain from auto accident injuries.
Injured in a Car Accident? We Can Help.
There is a myriad of injuries that can occur from a car accident. While it’s always preferable to walk away unscathed, but unfortunately, most of the time we are not so lucky.
Below we will discuss some of the most common injuries that occur as a result of a car accident. Injuries will affect everyone differently, and you may have more than one type of injury. Some injuries may continue to affect you for years to come without proper care. This is why it is so important to get the treatment you need to overcome both short and long-term physical effects.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a very common injury resulting from a car accident. Even a relatively common accident such as being rear-ended can give you whiplash.
Whiplash is when your body’s muscles, ligaments, and tendons get strained due to a sudden jolt of movement, which is exactly what happens when you’re involved in an accident.
You want to watch for these signs of whiplash:
- Loss of range of movement
- Increased pain with movement
- Neck stiffness or pain
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Headache
Even though no bones are broken, whiplash can be very painful, and recovery might take longer than expected. Depending on the extent of your injury, and the type of care you need, recovery could take several weeks to several months for a full recovery.
Treatment options for whiplash include chiropractic care and adjustments, massage therapy, anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant drugs, and physical exercise.
Concussion
A concussion can be hard to diagnose yet is very common and dangerous. Your head doesn’t have to actually hit anything in order to be affected by a concussion. A concussion can result from your head just being thrown back and forth, similar to whiplash.
If you have a concussion, you may see signs such as:
- Headache
- Ringing in the ear
- Temporary loss of consciousness
- Head pressure
- Dizziness, or “seeing stars”
- Disorientation, or amnesia
- Light sensitivity
Unlike some other injuries, it could take several hours or even days for concussion symptoms to show up. For this reason, many doctors will keep patients overnight in order to assess the concussion, waking you up fairly often to ensure that you can wake up normally without issue.
For concussions, treatment mostly includes lots of rest, both physical and mental. Avoid any unnecessary physical assertion, and limit activities that require a lot of mental concentration.
Herniated Disc
A herniated disc is when one or more vertebrae in your spine ruptures or splits, knocking it out of place. If left untreated, it can be very serious and can cause permanent nerve damage. It’s rare, but in some cases of nerve damage, you can lose control of some lower body functions such as bladder and bowel control.
Some signs that you may have a herniated disc are:
- Numbness, tingling, or burning in the legs or lower body, feet, or hands
- Stiff neck
- Muscle weakness or spasms
- Pain in the back, legs, arms or feet
There are several treatment options. Similar to whiplash, one of the best and most effective options is chiropractic therapy, but there are other things you can add into your treatment such as anti-inflammatory medicines, heating pads and physical exercise.
These are just some of the most common injuries that result from car accidents. There are so many more out there that can affect you. As always, contact us for an appointment and we will discuss your treatment options. We can work together to heal your body as quickly and effectively as possible.
Internal Bleeding
It’s normal to endure scrapes and cuts in an auto accident and it’s also common to suffer from internal bleeding. Internal bleeding can be dangerous and even life threatening if it’s not treated quickly after the accident. After any car accident you should seek medical attention immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most common injury following a car accident is whiplash. This happens when the neck moves forward and back rapidly.
Chiropractic care can help reduce chronic pain that following a car accident. You should seek medical attention immediately after a car accident. Some injuries may need specific medical treatments before chiropractic care can begin.
Chiropractic care can treat back injuries, soft tissue injuries, whiplash and other neck injuries. Chiropractic adjustments are particularly helpful in alleviating tension and reducing chronic pain.
How long after a car accident you should wait before seeing a chiropractor depends on the severity of the accident. Mild injuries can typically be treated with chiropractic care immediately. Major injuries usually require medical treatment prior to chiropractic care. Always talk to a physician to determine the right time for chiropractic treatments.
Pain from car accident injuries can last for several weeks, months or even years following a car accident. Chiropractic care should continue as long as you experience relief from discomfort. Ongoing treatments typically deliver long-lasting results.
Symptoms of whiplash include pain and tightness in the neck and decreased range of motion. You may also experience stiffness, tenderness and headaches.
Chiropractors treat whiplash through adjustments and the manipulation of the soft tissue in the neck. This alleviates tension and helps to reduce neck pain..
Seek Chiropractic Treatment Immediately
Chiropractic care treats back and neck pain without medication. A doctor of chiropractic is especially qualified to help car accident victims avoid the prescription drug cycle.
Chiropractors use a variety of drug-free chiropractic techniques that include spinal adjustments, muscle stimulation, trigger point massage, and rehabilitative exercises that can:
Reduce pain. Soft-tissue injuries may take months to fully heal, but an experienced car accident chiropractor can provide pain relief much faster.
Auto accident victims report up to an 80 percent reduction in paint after just a few weeks of chiropractic care.
Restore mobility. The soreness and stiffness from an auto accident injury can hinder normal movement. Chiropractic techniques help patients regain full range of motion before scar tissue develops.
Support long-term healing. The muscle atrophy resulting from a car accident can leave patients susceptible to re-injury. Chiropractic care includes rehabilitative exercises that strengthen the muscles surrounding the spine and improve flexibility.
Visiting a doctor of chiropractic as soon as possible after an auto accident can boost a patient’s chances of making a fully recovery—without resorting to prescription drugs.
Have Acute or Chronic Pain? We Can Help.
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