Did you ever wonder why Easter seems to occur on different dates every year?  It does!  Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the day the Sun is exactly above the Equator, and day and night are of equal length.  This moment in the year is known as the vernal equinox.

Trouble is I always think of April as the month of Easter.  I look forward to copious amounts of chocolate and a long weekend away and cooler temperatures.  So, I was caught a little off-guard by having Easter in March this year.  You know what else catches you off-guard?  Car accidents.

Long public holidays in South Africa, like Easter, are traditionally times when people take a break and head out to the mountains, the seaside, or even just ‘in the bush’.  It’s also a time when, with all the traffic on the roads, that car-accidents occur.  And even if you are the world’s most careful driver, accidents are always unforeseen events.

5 Car accident injuries that will need Chiropractic Care

While this is not an exhaustive list, these are the most common injuries with which patients visit us.

• Whiplash:  This common injury, resulting from the sudden jerk of the head, leads to both neck pain, stiffness, poor sleep and headaches.  Whiplash can occur under many circumstances, like horse riding or boxing.  It’s often ignored by people, and it shouldn’t be.  Inattention to the problem can also result in your muscles becoming so used to the misalignment of your neck vertebrae that it will become your neck’s default position.

• Spinal Misalignments:  Depending on the severity of the accident, your spine can be misaligned at the time of the accident or become misaligned afterwards.  Pain, headaches, and discomfort will inevitably result.

• Soft Tissue Injuries:  What exactly are your soft tissues?  They are found in throughout your body.  They include fat, muscle, nerves, blood vessels, ligaments, tendons, and other fibrous tissues.  Their job is to connect, support, and surround the different body organs. Inflammation, pain, and reduced mobility of your soft tissues are inevitable after a car accident. It’s important to activate healing as quickly as possible.  And Chiropractic care will do that.

• Chronic Pain:  Occasionally, pain can persist after your initial treatments.  Chiropractor care will be able to address the underlying causes.

• Restricted Movement:  Post-accident, you may find a reduced range of motion even if the accident was a minor one.  Restoring movement is part of Chiropractic care.

Car accidents don’t just hurt you physically. They also hurt you emotionally.

The physical trauma you endure can also impact you emotionally.  Fright, fear, distress are all psychological symptoms of car accidents.  To return to a state of emotional well-being and health, the physical trauma needs to be dealt with first.  That’s why it’s important to see your doctor as your first port of call after the accident.  If necessary, any major trauma, such as broken bones, head injuries, organ injuries, and lacerations can be attended to by the necessary medical professionals.

After that, the care provided by a Chiropractor can be supplied.  Unfortunately, this is where most people stop.  They end up living with low-grade pain from misaligned spines, enduring a level of discomfort they can’t always identify.  

How can Chiropractic care help?

No matter how long ago you had a car accident or fell off a horse, Chiropractic care will play a vital role in restoring and supporting good physical and mental health. This care includes:

• Your body will have tensed up dramatically because of the accident and to keep you safe from further injury.  This tension increases the level of cortisol in your body.  Gentle spinal readjustments releases any muscle tension in the body, especially in your face, neck, shoulders, chest, stomach, and lower back.  All of which reduces the cortisol levels, inducing a sense of relaxation to your body and your mind, and encourages healing.
• While you are tense and anxious, your body doesn’t function properly.  Chiropractic care helps to restore proper functional ability to your body.
• Improving spinal health, which can reduce muscle tension that triggers headaches and other body pains.
• Heat therapy
• Cold therapy
• Ultrasound therapy
• A gentle stretching and exercise regime designed specifically for you to aid a swift recovery.  Exercise is also a vital component of alleviating any lingering distress thanks to the production of endorphins, those wonderful, natural, happy hormones.

While many accidents, including road accidents, will catch you off-guard, it’s good to have a trusted Chiropractor to whom you can turn for help. If you have ever had a road accident and are suffering from long-term pain and headaches, call us today and make an appointment.

Yours in health,
Dr. Monica and Helen