The Importance of the Chiropractic Neck Adjustment After a Car Accident

Your neck plays a major role in your overall health and wellbeing. If you were recently in a car accident, chances are your neck was jarred quite violently, causing damage to your spinal column. The physical trauma and side effects of the trauma from which you suffer could last for days, months or even years if it is not properly taken care of. When you are in a car accident, it is best to visit a chiropractor for a chiropractic neck adjustment.

Whiplash

Whiplash occurs when the neck is violently whipped one way and then another. This occurs quite often in car accidents and is a source of chronic pain for many victims. When you visit a chiropractor, he will first treat the pain. Depending on the level of trauma, the chiropractor might not be able to perform a chiropractic neck adjustment right away. He might have to use other techniques, such as massage and electric muscle stimulation, to help you minimize the pain. Once the pain starts to subside, the chiropractor can then help you regain range of motion and full movement.

Headaches

Headaches are a common side effect of a neck injury that results from a car accident. When the neck is forced out of alignment, the head begins to hurt as a result of the pain in the neck. Some victims suffer from headaches only when the neck is moved in certain directions, while others suffer from chronic headaches as a result of their neck being out of alignment. Some victims also suffer from neck spasms, which can cause headaches as well.

Adjustments

Many people think of the chiropractic neck adjustment as cracking the neck. The adjustment is not a crack but a realignment of the cervical spine. With the proper techniques, your chiropractor will use short thrusts and gentle motions to realign your cervical spine. He will also use muscle relaxation techniques or stimulation to get the muscles loose and able to move pain-free once again.

If you have been involved in a car accident, it is important to visit a chiropractor to determine the extent of the damage that was done to your cervical spine. Once the level of damage is determined, he can put together a treatment plan that will gradually bring your neck back to full functioning without daily pain. The treatment plan might include a combination of electric muscle stimulation, massage therapy and a chiropractic neck adjustment.