Dr. Mary Lynch, the former president of the Canadian Pain Society, has reported that one in five Canadians suffers from chronic pain. For many of these individuals, their pain is a direct result of some type of accident. Accidents of any type may cause traumatic injury or aggravate a pre-existing illness, condition, or old injury. The result is often chronic pain that may range from mild and annoying to debilitating.
The mechanism and severity of injury from an accident varies according to the patient’s age, health, and type of injury. For example, a slip and fall accident is not likely to cause whiplash but may certainly lead to hip pain, and even low speed automobile collisions are notorious for whiplash but are less well known for chronic back pain.
Whatever type of accident you’ve suffered – a car crash, slip and fall, sports injury, bicycle accident, etc. – you should always be checked out. Medical treatment may not be necessary, but an evaluation lets you be on the safe side. If treatment is needed, chiropractic care can provide some great benefits.
Thorough Evaluation
The thing about mild to moderate injuries is that they’re not always immediately apparent. Many of us have twisted an ankle, experienced a bit of immediate pain, and then gone about our day with no problem. It’s only upon awakening the next morning that you discover a swollen ankle too painful to walk on. In fact, it can take days or even weeks for an injury to manifest.
You’ll receive a thorough evaluation when you visit your chiropractor after an injury, including x-rays if necessary. They’ll be able to tell you if your injury requires treatment and what sort of treatment is needed. Also, if your injury requires the attention of a surgeon or other specialist, your chiropractic will let you know.
Nearly Painless
When you’re in pain, the last thing you want is painful treatment. Chiropractors understand this and are careful to be as gentle as possible with their patients. After all, one of the main goals of chiropractic medicine is to relieve pain.
Also, chiropractors don’t use needles or scalpels, so there’s nothing to fear there. Chiropractic treatments are non-invasive and typically very tranquil. Many patients even report finding chiropractic therapies to be pleasant.
Restores Motion
Chronic pain often goes hand in hand with debility or dysfunction. Chiropractic treatments address this by focusing not only on pain relief but also on restoration of normal body movements. For example, if your knee is painful and you’re not able to fully extend it, your chiropractor will provide therapies designed to reduce your pain as well as increase your knee’s range of motion.
If you’ve suffered an accident and have unrelieved pain or other symptoms, consider a chiropractic consultation. Delaying evaluation and treatment of an injury never improves the situation, and many injuries can actually worsen over time. By seeking chiropractic evaluation, you’re taking a proactive approach to your health. You’ll not only likely reduce your pain, but you may prevent future problems as well.