Car Accident Chiropractor
Around four million people are injured in a car accident each year in the United States. Car accidents can be traumatic on the body and the mind so seeking out treatment as soon as possible is so important for your overall health. Whether you were rear-ended while stopped at a red light or at a high rate of speed on a busy road, if your car has any kind of damage then it’s likely your body does too. Even low-speed car accidents can lead to pain and discomfort that can linger in the days and months afterward. If you’ve been injured in any type of car accident, call a car accident clinic to schedule an appointment with a car accident chiropractor at Fox Integrated Health.
Car Accident Chiropractors in Broomfield
Fox Integrated Health chiropractors specialize in treating car accident victims in Broomfield, CO and the surrounding areas with innovative techniques and state-of-the-art facilities. Spinal injuries are common in car accidents due to the significant force of impact. Your spine, muscles, and nerves can all be affected by a car accident, which can lead to pain and discomfort that interrupt your daily routines and can lead to chronic issues if left untreated. Car accident doctors, Dr. Derek Fox, Dr. Audrey Kenyon-Fox, and Dr. Austin Gore at Fox Integrated Health use an integrated health approach that utilizes multiple specialties to support your healing and recovery.
Steps to Take After a Car Accident
The hours and days after a car accident can be an overwhelming, stressful experience. It can be difficult to know what things you should focus on right away and what can be taken care of later. When it comes to your health and wellness, it’s important that you put yourself first in getting the care you deserve.
Pay Attention to Symptoms
In the immediate aftermath of the accident, you might experience shock or be so overwhelmed that you don’t recognize much pain or other symptoms right away. When you are safe and able to relax it is important to take note of any pain you might be feeling. Headaches and tender, sore muscles are common symptoms for a variety of auto accident injuries. Watch out for any symptoms that might start to get worse over time, like stiffening muscles or losing range of motion. The onset and severity of your symptoms will help your car accident chiropractor best assist you going forward.
Seek Treatment Right Away
Whether or not you received medical care at the scene of the accident, it is important to seek follow-up care after the accident with a car accident chiropractor and a team of medical professionals who are knowledgeable and skilled in treating this type of injury. Emergency medical professionals can assist with addressing your immediate needs like treating cuts and bruises, but many types of auto accident injuries require continued treatment in order to address the root cause of your pain and discomfort.
Schedule a Consultation
A car accident chiropractor at Fox Integrated Health will start with a consultation to learn more about your symptoms after the car accident, your medical history, your health concerns, and goals for treatment. The auto accident can injure multiple parts of your musculoskeletal system and a physical evaluation will help start the diagnostic process. Once your car accident chiropractor has determined your diagnosis, they will talk with you about these findings and work to develop an individualized care plan.
Follow Your Custom Care Plan
A custom care plan is an individualized approach to your treatment so that you are only receiving the treatments that you need to get you on the road to healing and recovery. Your injury can lead to significant pain and even limit your mobility. The team at Fox Integrated Health will develop a custom care plan for you that pulls from our integrated health approach so you receive the quality care you deserve and expect.
Car Accidents Can Affect Your Whole Body
Head, Neck, and Back Injuries
Common head injuries sustained in an auto accident include concussions, which are a type of traumatic brain injury. If the force of impact causes your head to hit the steering wheel, window, or even other passengers in the car, you can get a serious head injury. In addition to cuts and bruises, you may have injuries in and around the brain that can be quite serious.
The most common car accident injury, especially in rear-end collisions, is whiplash. Whiplash can affect the head, neck, and back because it involves strained muscles and damage to your spine. When your head suddenly jolts forward and then snaps backward upon impact, the muscles in your neck may strain out of their normal range of motion, causing pain, tenderness, and stiffness. Your spine can be injured, leading to a herniated disc that may put too much pressure on a nearby nerve and cause nerve pain and damage.
Lower back injuries are also common with car accidents and any type of injury to the spine needs to be treated carefully. That’s why it’s important for you to know who to see for your back pain after a car accident. Pain and discomfort in your back. Injury to your lower back can also lead to sciatica, which is a type of pain you experience when your sciatic nerve in your lower spine is damaged in the accident.
Shoulder, Elbow, and Hand Injuries
Unfortunately, shoulder dislocations are common in auto accidents, especially if you see the accident coming and brace your arms to prepare for impact. A torn rotator cuff or even a dislocated shoulder can occur, especially in high impact accidents. This can lead to pain, tenderness, and weakness in your shoulder and even affect your ability to raise your arm.
Elbow injuries can occur because your arms are not restrained by a seat belt and so they might jostle around during the accident. This can lead to strains, sprains, or even dislocating your elbow. Hand and wrist injuries may also occur, especially when you think of how you might raise your hands to protect yourself if you see the accident coming. Shielding yourself is a natural response but it can also lead to musculoskeletal injuries.
Knee, Leg, and Foot Injuries
What may at first seem like a bruise or similar discomfort from the stress of the accident can actually end up being damage to your knees, legs, and feet upon impact with your car’s structure. If you have trouble walking or stretching without pain then you may have sustained a leg injury. Fractures are not uncommon with car accidents and severe impacts can even restrict blood flow to certain areas, requiring immediate attention. Common ankle injuries in a car accident are ankle sprains and strains if your feet roll or twist into unnatural positions during the accident.
Diagnosing Car Accident Injuries
At Fox Integrated Healthcare we have a sophisticated suite of diagnostic imaging tools on site where we can use digital X-rays to get a clear picture of your injuries and their effects on your musculoskeletal system. These technologies assist in establishing an informed diagnosis that will help your car accident chiropractor when setting up your custom care plan.
Chiropractic Treatment for Car Accident Injuries
When you visit Fox Integrated Healthcare for a car accident injury, you can expect chiropractic treatments that will help manage your pain, improve your mobility, and speed up your healing time. Your car accident chiropractor will use manual and instrument-assisted adjustment techniques in order to realign your spine appropriately and help your body start functioning optimally again. Therapeutic techniques will also include working with muscles and soft tissues to release tension, restore healthy blood flow, and encourage strengthening. Your body has the ability to heal itself, but a car accident injury may delay that process, so your car accident chiropractor will help improve nervous system communication so your body can receive appropriate signals for healing and restoration.