Car accidents happen to even the most careful of drivers, and mild to severe injuries often occur. You might think that painful injuries and long-term complications only result from the most serious of accidents, but that isn’t exactly true.
Even in low-impact collisions, whiplash can result from an car accident. This is true even if you’re only traveling 5 to 10 miles per hour when the accident occurs. If you are hit from the side or rear, certain things can happen within your spine to damage it:
- Stretching or tearing of ligaments and muscles
- Compression of the joints
- Irritation of the nerves
All of these injuries can cause inflammation and pain, increasing your suffering after a car accident.
These symptoms might not even appear until 24 to 48 hours after the collision. That is why people often think they haven’t been injured in a wreck, only to discover a day or two later that they are in extraordinary amounts of pain and discomfort!
Any time you’re involved in a car accident, it would be a good idea to immediately visit a chiropractor as a preventive step. We can assess your spine and detect any potential damage, and often prevent you from having a chronic, painful problem that persists long after the event.
If you’re involved in a car accident, please give us a call. We can help you uncover any whiplash injuries and treat problematic injuries promptly.