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Almost 80,000 car crashes are reported in the United States every year. These car crashes are the major cause of neck and upper cervical injuries among people. The complications intensify when they are left untreated or are mistreated for a long time.
In extreme cases, they can lead to life-long suffering and disabilities. Therefore, proper treatment for car crash injuries, especially upper cervical ones, is a must!
This article outlines major treatment measures for addressing injuries during car accidents. However, before beginning with that, let's have a look at the type of injuries anticipated from car crashes and their mechanism. So, that effective treatments can be listed accordingly.
Your neck during a car crash
The neck is the most vulnerable part of the body and is at the highest risk of injuries during car accidents. When you’re driving, your body is normally held in place because of the seatbelt whereas, your head and neck are not. They are abandoned and free in the swaying moment.
If your car meets an accident, your neck may jerk forward and backward, it can also jolt to one side or can be hit by flying wreckage of the car. This movement continues to the upper cervical as well. Such rapid and hasty movement causes serious injuries to the muscles, tendons, joints, and nerves in the neck or cervical spine.
In addition, if you have a collision prior to this, the muscles in your neck are likely to tense in anticipation. They'll be less relaxed than normal which augments the muscle strain due to the accident.
It may take you hours and days to determine the injury to your neck. However, you will feel the following signs and symptoms as a result of neck injury;
- Pain and stiffness in the neck
- Pain radiating to shoulders, arms, and hands
- Tingling and numbness in the arms, hands, and fingers
- Frequent headaches and dizziness
If you feel these symptoms, it means your neck is probably injured. This is the time when you consult a doctor and look for proper treatment. We recommend you don't ignore a car crash even if it is minor and see a doctor as soon as possible.
Common car crash injuries
The first step for effective treatment is recognition of the injury. It is compulsory to know what type of injury you have. For instance, car crashes result in a range of injuries involving the neck and upper cervical spine. Therefore, it is necessary that you know which one you are suffering with.
Here, we’ve listed some common car crash injuries and their symptoms;
- Whiplash
It occurs when your neck and head jerk back and forth during the accidents. The ligaments, nerves, connective tissues, and muscles in the neck are torn and damaged due to such sudden motion. A rear-end crash often results in whiplash.
The condition can be resolved with the right treatment however, if left untreated, it can lead to chronic pain, long-term headache, and memory issues.
During car accidents, the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the neck face severe sprain and strain. The soft tissues are damaged which results in pain and stiffness of the neck and shoulders along with the abridged movement of the neck and muscle twinges.
- Injury of the facet joint
Facet joints in the cervical spine are often injured, inflamed, or irritated during car collisions. They help in the stable mobility of the head and neck. The damage to the neck ligaments, during a car accident, affects the movement of these joints resulting in their injury.
- Fracture in the neck
Neck fractures are very significant and commonly observed injuries during a car crashed. It can immediately be reported after the accidents as it causes improper movement of the neck. If the situation isn't treated in time, it can injure your spinal cord and result in paralysis.
Car crash injuries and upper cervical treatment
Upper cervical chiropractic care is one of the best treatments for addressing car crash injuries. Obviously, immediate medication and medical treatment are provided to address the pain and physical injuries. However, for neck and upper cervical injuries, chiropractic techniques work the best.
They aim at correcting the imbalances of the neck and alleviating the stiffness and poor posture. The chiropractic set of procedures focuses on the re-alignment of the upper neck and head using a specific tuning approach. The chiropractic techniques work by the application of gentle force on the damaged part for restoring its normal function and mobility.
In case of car injuries, the upper cervical chiropractic techniques focus on returning the neck, head back, and upper cervical spine to a more accurate state and that too without any pain. It involves no abrupt movements; the doctor applies delicate pressure on the affected part for correcting its position, no twisting or cracking the neck.
The patient feels a light pressure only without any noticeable pain. Chiropractic techniques reduce the stress on your body and alleviate postural distortion due to the injuries.
Most chiropractors make visual examinations first. They place their hands along the neck and upper spine to feel the strain and damage of the muscles and soft tissues. The patient might undergo a series of X-rays and MRIs so that the doctor can ensure imbalances of the neck and design a personalized treatment plan for the patient.
For instance, integrated therapies, massage therapy, and rehabilitation exercises are suggested for shoulder and neck pain. Physical therapy works for patients having fractures and knee pains, etc.
Conclusion
Car accidents are mostly horrible and result in life-threatening injuries. Thus, they need to be addressed in time for preventing long-term damage. Upper Cervical Chiropractic techniques serve as the best natural way of treating car crash injuries. They come with fewer side effects and can bring plausible results in a short period of time.
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