The facilities at Chiro-Active are ideally suited to help patients suffering from injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents (MVAs). It is reported that 30% of MVA victims choose chiropractic care for their injuries, since it has been shown to be the most effective therapy for these types of soft tissue injuries, especially those involving the spine.
Most MVA injuries involve muscular or ligamentous sprains or strains which are best treated using chiropractic therapy. Appropriate care for these injuries will promote a speedy recovery and limit time off work and loss of income. It is also important to realize because of the known effectiveness of chiropractic care, the costs of chiropractic treatments for MVA injuries are fully covered by your auto insurance company.
According to the Insurance Research Council, nearly 1/3 of all claimants injured in motor vehicle accidents (MVA’s) seek treatment from doctors of chiropractic. This is impressive given that the National Safety Council (NSC) has determined there to be more than 12 million MVA’s annually involving more than 20 million vehicles.
The reason individuals choose chiropractic care at ChiroActive for treatment of injuries sustained in Auto Accidents or MVA’s is because chiropractic care is exceptional in the treatment of soft tissue injuries and the spine. Since the most common injuries associated with MVA’s are sprains and strains of the spinal muscles and ligaments, it’s only natural that ChiroActive be the treatment centre of choice. We specialize in soft tissue injuries and joint restrictions. We use gentle techniques such as Active Release (ART), Acupuncture, Activator Methods, and drop table to make adjustments easier on you.
Many studies have also found individuals injured in MVA’s prefer chiropractic care for the treatment of their injuries. One such study (headaches arising from disorders of the cervical spine) by Balla and Iansek (1988) evaluated 190 whiplash injury victims and found those who received chiropractic care reported treatment satisfaction of 100%.
( Hopkins A, ed. Headache: Problems in Diagnosis and Management. London: WB
Saunders; 1988.)
What To Do After An Accident
If you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident you will need to make an appointment at ChiroActive for a thorough history and examination. We will also ease you through the difficult paper form process needed to submit to your auto insurance.
Often, individuals involved in motor vehicle accidents experience minimal or no symptoms for the first few weeks and even months. It’s important to not only receive immediate and appropriate treatment for any injuries sustained, but also to document the extent of the injuries, if present.
Failure to obtain a timely evaluation or appropriate treatment for injuries sustained in an auto mobile vehicle accident may negate your ability to receive monetary compensation for any future medical bills resulting from the accident, negate your ability to receive pain and suffering settlements, and negate compensation for work loss.
Chiro-Active Will Determine…
- the extent and exact nature of the accident injury or injuries
- the number of estimated treatments required to treat your injuries
- if referral to another medical specialist is required
- if special tests are required (i.e. X-Ray, MRI, CT Scan, etc.)
- if you need to take “injury time off” from work to heal and recuperate (and provide you with a note to present to your employer)
If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident, call (or have them call) our office immediately. The quicker you receive the care you need, the quicker your injuries will heal and the faster you can get on with your life. Don’t Delay, Contact Chiro-Active Today!
Common Injuries and Symptoms
Automobile / Motor vehicle accidents can result in a number of very diverse and complex injuries and symptoms. This is due to the diversity of factors involved with the each MVA – i.e. vectors of the collision, size of the vehicles involved in collision, preexisting health conditions of victims, age of victims, size and strength of victims, etc.
The following list comprises many of the most commonly sustained injuries and symptoms following MVA’s:
- Whiplash
- Headaches
- Back Pain
- Head Injuries and Associated Symptoms
- Extremity Pain, Numbness, Tingling
- Factors Influencing Injury Tolerance
Treatment program involves active patient participation and patient compliance to the agreed upon program. When treatments focus solely on pain-relief and not tissue rehabilitation or when patients fail to comply with the prescribed treatment plan, the chronicity of problems becomes highly likely.
The chiropractic approach to treating whiplash injuries is highly successful compared with other health care professionals because chiropractors focus on rehabilitating the injured tissues and restoring optimal function. This is reflected in the high patient satisfaction scores that chiropractors have received in “patient satisfaction surveys” performed on MVA patients.
Chiropractic care is a safe, natural, noninvasive, and addresses the cause of the symptoms. Our treatments also include active patient participation, and in some cases, lifestyle modifications. While we do focus on eliminating pain early on, we realize that in addition to pain – optimal tissue healing, restoration of normal function, and prevention of future recurrences and reinjuries – are equally important.
At Chiro-Active, our treatments are highlighted by our use of many gentle and highly effective spinal adjusting techniques. When used properly, these techniques allow us to safely and effectively reduce pain levels, reduce muscles spasms, eliminate inflammation, restore normal joint motion and biomechanics, prevent or minimize
degenerative processes, and minimize the likelihood of future recurrences. We accomplish this through active release techniques, acupuncture, activator technique, and drop table. We also refer to massage therapy for deep tissue release.
We also incorporate many natural and safe adjunctive therapies into our treatment plan to further assist in the healing process. Some common adjunctive therapies include ice therapy, heat therapy, physical therapies like therapeutic ultrasound and muscle stimulation, spinal traction, soft tissue mobilization, spinal exercises and stretches, and nutritional supplementation.
Head Injuries and Associated Symptoms
Half of the approximate 7 million non-major head injuries occurring annually in the US are estimated to be caused by motor vehicle accidents (MVA’s). These head injuries, although mostly mild, give rise to an assortment of symptoms and events and frequently affect higher levels of cognition and personality.
Symptoms include:
- headache
- scalp pain and hypersensitivity
- blurred vision
- balance and coordination impairments
- memory impairment
- language and task handling difficulties
- slowed reaction times
- ringing of in the ears
- reduced attention span and patience
- earlier fatigue and mental stamina
- sleep disturbances
Unfortunately, symptoms continue to persist in some victims leading to a condition known as “Chronic Postconcussion Syndrome” (note: a concussion is a loss of consciousness or lessening of mental processes following a direct or indirect head trauma).
Extremity Pain, Numbness and Tingling
Extremity symptoms such as arm and hand pain, numbness and tingling are common following motor vehicle accidents (MVA’s). They are caused by thoracic outlet syndrome, myofascial adhesions, muscular trigger points, and spinal disc lesions.
It’s important to note that these symptoms are commonly not experienced until weeks or even months after the injury. A study, published in the Britain Journal of Rheumatology, involved 37 motor vehicle injury patients and found 35% had an onset of arm and hand symptoms (upper extremity symptoms) beyond 3 months of the accident.
This reinforces the need for proper and full treatment of MVA injuries. Failure to receive appropriate treatment (where injured tissues are fully healed and tissue functioning is adequately restored) is a major contributor to the development of these symptoms.
Facts
Minimum Accident Speed to Cause Injury
Studies involving live humans have demonstrated that a motor vehicle accident of as little as 5 mph can induce cervical (neck) injury. However, other studies have shown that cars can often withstand crashes of 10 mph or more without sustaining damage.
Time for Symptoms to Present
Symptoms arising from injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents were once thought to present immediately following the accident. However, research and clinic experience now demonstrate that a delay of symptom onset seems to be the norm. Also, delay of symptom onset does not eliminate the possibility of severe injury.
Number of Disabilities from Automobile Accidents
Most experts have found that 10 percent of all motor vehicle accident victims become disabled.
Symptom Resolution Statistics
Many studies have found a significant number of individuals to be symptomatic for many months and even years after a motor vehicle accident. In one such study, 75 percent of individuals remained symptomatic 6 months after the accident.
Another study, published in the European Spine Journal, found that during the period of time between the first and second years following a motor vehicle accident over 20 percent actually had their symptoms worsen.
Number of Annual Motor Vehicle Accidents
According to the National Safety Council (NSA), there are more than 12 million motor vehicle accidents annually including more than 20 million vehicles. This results in over 5 million nonfatal accidents annually of which approximately 2 million are disabling injuries including approximately 1 million work-related auto disabling injuries.
Injury Severity in Motor Vehicle Accidents
A 1990 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study reported found that about 28 percent of occupants in motor vehicle accidents incur minor to moderate injury while 6 percent incur severe to fatal injuries.
Who Pays for Injuries Sustained in Motor Vehicle Accidents?
According to the Insurance Research Council,
- 63 percent of injuries are paid by the injured individuals own automobile insurance company
- 55 percent of injuries are paid by the auto insurance company of another vehicle
- 36 percent of injuries are paid by health insurance
- 20 percent of injuries are paid by government programs
- 19 percent of injuries are paid workers’ compensation insurance
Almost 60 percent of those injured reported to have used 2 or more sources of payment.
We are Chiro-Active and we help all types of car accident victims identify and prevent small, unnoticeable injuries from growing into permanent, painful, life altering situations.
Many car / auto accident victims contract “soft tissue injuries”. Your soft tissue injury is something that many diagnostic exams cannot detect. This is what makes them so dangerous. It’s like a small paper cut that never heals itself and get worse. You need to be sure your body has not received a soft tissue injury, even if you’ve gotten an x-ray.
Most doctors recommend pain medication after someone experiences an accident. Of course, some pain medication may help especially if the pain is unbearable. However, for long term healing and recuperation, it can become your worst enemy and have unwanted side effects. When you take medication, you numb yourself. Your mind may feel everything is okay, but the underlying problem still exists. You feel okay temporarily but then months later the body and soft tissue injuries can feel worse. This takes away from your quality of living.
Believe it or not, some people who experience accidents have pain and still avoid getting treatment. This strength and courage is admirable, but the pain will still exist!
They think…
- My pain will go away
- This medication seems to be helping
- It was just a fender bender!
- I’m in pretty good shape, I’m just happy I survived!
Don’t make these excuses.
These are some common motor vehicle / automobile accident symptoms:
- Headaches
- Headaches that feel like eye aches
- Numbness
- Tingling in any area of the body
- Any back pain or stiffness whatsoever
- Stiff neck
- Squirming in your sleep
- Unable to get sleep sometimes
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Mentally depressed
- Unable to concentrate
- Feeling tired too often
Chiro Active is trained in helping motor vehicle accident victims. We want you to know, that if you or any of your family or friends have been even in a small car accident, you should get checked immediately. Even if you choose to go to a car accident injury specialist, make sure you see Chiro Active as soon as possible for an Auto Accident Soft Tissue Injury Consultation. Don’t feel discouraged. We look forward to helping you get through this difficult time and help set your mind at ease. Chiro-Active will get you going in the right direction as fast as possible and answer all your questions. We’ll determine your exact injury, any potential hidden injuries, and recommend the proper recuperation and healing time you need to get back to normal.
At Chiro-Active, we will determine…
- the extent and exact nature of the accident injury or injuries
- the number of estimated treatments required to treat your injuries
- if referral to another medical specialist is required
- if special tests are required (i.e. X-Ray, MRI, CT Scan, etc.)
- if you need to take “injury time off” from work to heal and recuperate (and provide you with a note to present to your employer)
You don’t have to live in pain or in wonder if any hidden or soft tissue injuries have occurred. Don’t take the risk. Call us for your Auto / MVA consultation. You will be glad you did!
