If you were hurt in a crash but are unsure what to do about car accident neck pain, a chiropractor may have the answer. Chiropractic care clinics provide drug-free, non-invasive therapies that help patients manage their symptoms while treating the underlying cause.
A chiropractor can treat many car accident injuries, including some of the most common that cause neck pain and other related symptoms. If you have nagging neck pain or debilitating acute neck injuries after a crash, make an appointment right away for quick relief.
What Are Some Causes of Neck Pain After a Car Accident?
Chiropractors are well-trained and equipped to manage many of the most common causes of neck pain after a car accident. Common injuries causing neck pain after a car accident could include:
Whiplash
A whiplash injury is a soft tissue injury that occurs when the neck is forced beyond its usual range of motion in a crash. This injury causes strains and sprains in the soft tissues that support the neck. Symptoms of whiplash often include pain, stiffness, headaches, and limited range of motion. Whiplash is one of the most frequent causes of delayed neck pain after a car accident.
Cervical Spine Misalignment
A crash can cause misalignment of the vertebrae anywhere along the spine, causing neck and back pain after a car accident. When this occurs in the cervical vertebrae of the neck, the result is often pain in the neck, pain radiating down the shoulders and arms, and headaches.
Muscle Strain
Sometimes, a muscle strain in the neck can occur without leading to whiplash. A strain occurs because the force of the crash over-stretches the muscles of the neck. However, the injury may not exhibit the symptoms of whiplash. Patients report feeling sore and stiff in their neck or upper shoulders or feeling like they have a “crick” in their neck.
Facet Joint Injuries
A facet joint injury can cause sharp, stabbing pain in specific areas of the neck when turning the head or tilting it forward or backward. This pain occurs because of an injury to one or more facet joints, which stabilize the spine between and behind each vertebra.
Herniated or Bulging Discs
When an accident damages a disc in the cervical spine, that spinal disc can herniate or bulge and press on nearby nerves. This injury can lead to neck pain and numbness or tingling in the arms and hands. Sometimes, weakness can occur, as well.
Cervical Radiculopathy
The nerve roots in the neck are at risk of compression from almost any type of car accident neck injury. This condition could include herniated discs, spinal misalignment, or inflammation from another type of injury. The injury could cause pain in the neck, shoulders, arms, and hands, as well as tingling, numbness, and weakness in the upper extremities.
More severe crash injuries are possible. Some car accident neck injuries can be catastrophic and require extensive medical attention, invasive surgery, and rehabilitation to overcome if the victim can make a full recovery. A chiropractor can work with the patient’s primary care doctor and surgeons to help them manage pain without drugs and rehabilitate from the injuries following surgery.
How a Chiropractor Can Help With Your Neck Pain After a Car Accident
Many patients report trying to manage their pain and stiffness on their own after a crash or wondering, “How long does neck pain last after a car accident?” The truth is, the sooner you visit your chiropractor, the sooner you will receive a diagnosis and begin a personalized treatment plan to address your injuries.
Chiropractors aim to help their patients manage pain relief, heal neck injuries, recover as fully as possible, and prevent re-injury or new injuries in the future. They do this by prescribing a personalized treatment plan that often includes both chiropractic adjustments and physical therapy.
This type of approach allows them to effectively treat a wide range of neck and cervical spine injuries, including:
- Auto accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Boat and jet ski accidents
- Work-related injuries
- Slips and falls
- Sports and recreational injuries
- Pool injuries
Prescribed Treatments for Car Accident Neck Pain
The chiropractic treatment prescribed will depend on the injury suffered and other details of the patient’s health and activity level. In general, some treatments car accident victims can expect to receive for their neck pain and injuries include:
- Whiplash: Patients with whiplash commonly undergo spinal manipulation to realign their cervical spine and manage pain. They also receive soft tissue therapy to reduce muscle tension and encourage healing. Once they begin to recover, they receive physical therapy to strengthen their neck muscles and restore their range of motion.
- Cervical Spine Misalignment: Patients usually begin with spinal adjustments to realign the vertebrae, followed by physical therapy to prevent misalignment and strengthen the neck.
- Muscle Strains: Patients with muscle strains in the neck often benefit from soft tissue therapies, such as massage and myofascial release. These therapies relax the muscles and reduce pain. As they recover, physical therapy is often prescribed.
- Facet Joint Injuries: Facet joint injuries require joint manipulation to restore proper functioning. This therapy is typically done through chiropractic adjustments. Rehabilitation exercises are also important because they strengthen nearby muscles to improve joint stability.
- Herniated Discs: Spinal adjustments realign vertebrae, while decompression techniques, such as traction, relieve pressure from the affected discs on nearby nerves. The treatment plan will likely include physical therapy to regain strength and recover range of motion.
- Nerve Compression: Patients typically receive both spinal adjustments and soft tissue therapy to relieve nerve compression and reduce pain and inflammation.
In addition to these treatments, chiropractors also prescribe complementary and supportive therapies for pain management, increasing blood flow, limiting inflammation, and facilitating the healing process. These additional therapies could include:
- Ultrasound therapy
- Massage therapy
- Electrical stimulation therapy (ESTIM)
- Laser therapy
- Hot/cold therapy
- Kinesiology taping
Call Our Team of Chiropractors for Your Initial Neck Pain Exam
The Naples Community Injury Center team serves patients in South Florida from three locations: Naples, Marco Island, and Estero. Together, we have more than 60 years of experience managing car accident injuries and other causes of neck pain. We can help you manage your pain and recover from your injuries.
Contact us to schedule your first appointment with our team.
