You might not realize that a low-speed fender bender can lead to whiplash, but any time the head and neck are jostled around with the force of the collision it can cause whiplash. If you’ve been in a car accident and are seeking treatment for whiplash then there are a few things you should take into consideration when deciding what doctor to see.
Recommendations When Choosing a Doctor
Don’t just see your primary care doctor!
You may have a trusted relationship with your primary care doctor, or you might not know what other doctor to choose. While primary care doctors are great for a lot of things, they practice general medicine and usually do not specialize in accident injuries. If you have damage to your spine then you want to make sure you see a specialist who can provide you with the specialized care you need.
You may initially meet with your primary care doctor because you’ve been noticing headaches that won’t go away or pain in your neck and back. These are symptoms of whiplash and can be an indicator that something more serious is going on. If you use over-the-counter pain medicine to manage your headaches after a car accident it can end up masking other symptoms of a more serious injury like whiplash. Treatment for whiplash should come from a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating car accident injuries.
Request referrals from trusted sources!
While your primary care doctor may not be the best source of treatment for whiplash, they may have recommendations for local car accident doctors in the Snellville area. Finding a car accident doctor may seem stressful at first, but you can reach out to trusted family and friends for referrals. Someone you know may have also been in a car accident and might recommend a specific doctor they had a great experience with, which can help point you in the right direction.
Types of Treatment for Whiplash
Whiplash can cause pain in your neck, head, back, and even your shoulders. Treatment options will differ depending on what parts of your body are most affected and what symptoms you are experiencing. Here are a few things to know about treatment for whiplash when looking for a car accident doctor to treat your injuries.
The force of the accident is what causes whiplash and can even lead to other injuries. When an accident takes you by surprise your body doesn’t have time to brace itself and can lead to more extreme symptoms. Headaches are a common symptom of whiplash because of inflammation that can develop and apply pressure. Neck muscles often get strained when whiplash occurs because your neck snapping forward and backward stretches the muscles out of their normal range of motion. You may even injure the vertebrae in your spine or the discs that separate them, leading to pressure on your nerves and pain on your back.
A car accident doctor will address all your symptoms of whiplash while also helping to manage your pain. Muscle strains and tears can lead to swelling and stiff muscles, which your doctor may address with alternating cold and heat therapies. In order to help support the range of motion in your neck, your doctor may recommend specific exercises and stretches. In some instances, a neck brace may be recommended to help keep the neck still for a few days after the accident so healing can take place.
Benefits of Chiropractic Treatment for Whiplash
If you are interested in a natural treatment option for whiplash then it’s important to understand how chiropractors can be helpful. Chiropractors do not use medicine to mask or manage pain symptoms and instead encourage your body to heal itself naturally. Chiropractors use gentle chiropractic adjustment techniques on your spine and the supportive muscles and tissues to help ease your pain symptoms and address any misalignments in your spine. Adjustments and massages can help stimulate healthy blood flow and bring fresh oxygen to your injury sites, which brings healing and recovery.
When you see a chiropractor for whiplash treatment, they will assess your whole spine to see how it was affected by the car accident. In doing so, the chiropractor will be able to identify any misalignments in your spine that may be causing pain and other symptoms. They will also work with the muscles that support your spine, especially in your neck, to help them heal and better support your neck in the future. Chiropractic care as a treatment for whiplash is a natural, alternative way of treating your unique symptoms of whiplash and helping you heal and recover.