If you have recently been in a car accident, you may be wondering how chiropractic care in Tacoma can help treat your injuries, such as whiplash and back pain. Our Tacoma chiropractor Dr. Keogh has helped hundreds of patients safely manage pain following a car accident. Depending on your injury, he may be able to help you, too. Below, Dr. Keogh answers four of your most frequently asked questions about chiropractic care for a car accident injury.

What You Need to Know After a Car Accident Injury

#1: Even minor car accidents, including fender benders, can cause serious damage to your body’s musculoskeletal system. For example, a rear-impact car accident at 5mph can whip the cervical spine out of alignment, leading to chronic neck pain, headaches, and other health problems. Chiropractic care treats both the symptoms of pain as well as the underlying injury. Gentle, hands-on adjustments, for example, can safely restore proper alignment to the spine, alleviating pain and improving overall health.

#2: What are the symptoms of a whiplash injury?

Chronic neck pain and recurring headaches are the most common whiplash injury symptoms. Additionally symptoms include shoulder pain, pain between the shoulder blades, upper limb weakness, reduced cervical spine mobility, and fatigue. Many individuals with a whiplash injury also suffer from sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, blurred vision, noise sensitivity, dizziness and forgetfulness. If you are experiencing neck pain in conjunction with one or more of these symptoms, you may have sustained a whiplash injury. A diagnostic examination with our Tacoma chiropractor will help determine the extent of your injuries.

#3: I have just been in a car accident; what should I do?

Even if you do not immediately feel pain, schedule a diagnostic appointment with our Tacoma chiropractor as soon as possible. For some injuries, it can be weeks before the onset of chronic pain and health problems. The sooner you schedule a visit with our chiropractor, the faster we can diagnose your injury and promptly treat your pain. You should know the full extent of your injuries before settling with your insurance company. If you do not currently have a lawyer, we can also recommend a reputable personal injury attorney to ensure you receive full compensation for your injuries.

#4: I already visited the emergency room or my personal physician; do I really need to see a chiropractor?

Even if you have visited the emergency or been screened by your physician, you may still benefit from visiting a chiropractor. Hospitals and family doctors provide urgent care to immediately manage pain or treat a serious injury, like a broken arm, following an accident. However, this care focuses on relieving your pain symptoms rather than treating the underlying injury that is causing this pain. Our Tacoma chiropractor is trained to diagnose and treat musculoskeletal injuries, such as a herniated disc or whiplash injury, both of which are common following a car accident.

Do you have more questions about car accident injuries? Let us know!