Accident Injury

What is an accident injury?

An accident injury is damage your body sustains as the result of an auto accident. Being involved in a traffic accident is something many people experience, although thankfully most are low-speed collisions that don't cause life-threatening injuries.

However, even minor accidents can result in damage to your musculoskeletal system that should receive proper treatment to prevent long-term pain. An untreated or improperly treated accident injury can lead to a worsening of the tissue damage. You're also more likely to develop chronic, often disabling, reduction in function.

What type of accident injury am I likely to have?

You could damage any part of your body in an auto accident, from incurring cuts and bruises to torn muscles and ligaments, and, in serious cases, fractured bones. One of the most common types of auto injury is whiplash.

Whiplash describes an injury where your head gets violently thrown forward and then back. This can happen when you’re in a car and hit a vehicle or other solid object in front of you, or someone rear-ends you.

The violent motion of your head in these situations causes the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in your neck to stretch beyond the point from which they can spring back, resulting in sprains, strains, and tissue ruptures.

The discs in between the vertebrae can also suffer damage, and the vertebrae themselves can move out of alignment. Whiplash can also stretch your spinal cord and the nerve roots in your spinal canal, leading to irritation and pain. Brain injuries like concussion are also possible if your brain hits the inside of your skull.

What symptoms might an accident injury cause?

An accident injury like whiplash can cause pain, not just in your neck, but radiating through your shoulders and upper back and down your arms. Headaches, facet joint pain in your spine, and lower back pain can also result from an accident injury. You might also experience problems with thinking clearly or memory loss.

The symptoms you experience vary depending on the nature of your accident and the injuries you sustain, and other factors like your age and general health. 

Immediately after an auto accident, your body is likely to be full of hormones like adrenaline that can mask pain. That means you may not realize you're hurt until the adrenaline wears off.

How is an accident injury treated?

At Melilli Chiropractic and Rehab Center, the team has expertise in treating accident injuries like whiplash. You might benefit from:

• Chiropractic care
• Massage therapy
• Trigger point therapy
• Exercise rehabilitation
• Electrostimulation
• Range of motion exercises
• Limitations on work or daily activities
• Nutritional supplements

For your convenience, Melilli Chiropractic and Rehab Center provides these therapies in one setting and is open until 7 pm three nights a week. The friendly staff delivers quality, compassionate care, and works closely with your attorney if you're going through a legal issue. 

If you’ve experienced an accident injury, call Melilli Chiropractic and Rehab Center or book an appointment today for expert treatment.