Should you see a chiropractor after having an accident?

Car Accident Chiropractor Orlando. Do you know if you should see a chiropractor after having an accident? Car accidents happen every day. You don’t have to go through a complete loss of the car or be bleeding to actually have a serious injury. Also, not everyone gets affected the same way. Different bodies, location at the time of accident and posture can change the outcome. When it comes to our kids, these situations can be particularly difficult.

Why see a chiropractor after having an accident

Do you know if you should see a chiropractor after having an accident? Car accidents happen every day. You don’t have to go through a complete loss of the car or be bleeding to actually have a serious injury. Also, not everyone gets affected the same way. Different bodies, location at the time of accident and posture can change the outcome. When it comes to our kids, these situations can be particularly difficult.

But, your health is not the only reason why you should consider seeing a specialist. Regulations establish a time frame in which you have to go to a specialist after a car accident. You have to be in this timeframe for it to be valid for insurance claims and in front of a court.

You’ve taken the time to send us some questions around this particular subject and we want to answer them.

Should you see a chiropractor after having a car accident even if you don’t feel any pain?

A car accident is a major event and the trauma that comes from them could be significant. Yet, the trauma is not always visible at first. Because of the stress and other factors, after it occurs you are not always able to feel the pain. However, it is common to start feeling discomfort a few days later.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recently stated that after a car accident, one-third of the people involved usually have a severe brain injury. So, even if you don’t feel immediate pain, you should get evaluated. It is important that you get to see a specialist such as a chiropractor who checks your muscles, joints, spine, and nerves.

Our bodies are weaker than it may seem

Our bodies are not made to sustain certain impacts. However, even if you didn’t hit yourself with anything, a sudden move or stop of the car can hurt you as well. If you feel something abnormal or go through an out of the ordinary situation with the car, please go to a doctor. Remember that according to the Association for Safe International Road Travel, there are around 2.35 million people injured or disabled every year. Going to the doctor on time can avoid long-term pain and invasive medical procedures.

Many of these injuries are hiding and if not checked on time, you will not see the consequences until time passes. Examples of these injuries are herniated discs, brain injuries, knee injuries, shoulder injuries, and psychological injuries. Watch out for dizziness and headaches. Also check out for blurred vision, fatigue, weakness, nausea, irritability, and vertigo.  They can be a sign that something is wrong even when you don’t feel muscle or joint pain. And don’t forget to go see your doctor and to mention it.

If you are in a car accident, should your child be seen by a chiropractor?

Recent research from the National Institute of Health indicates that there are more reasons than the kinetic energy of the vehicles that can cause pain after an accident. The direction of the impact and where you sit can also affect how you get injured or feel that pain. For example, the adult in the front can feel completely different than the child in the back after the accident. The seatbelt and how you buckle it can determine the type of injuries and pain as well.

After a car accident, you should have your child checked by both, the primary doctor and a doctor who specializes in the human body and car accidents. Some injuries can appear over time and kids are not always good at expressing what they’re feeling. The fact that everything looks good on the outside and the child is not feeling pain at that moment doesn’t mean that there couldn’t be some severe trauma injuries.

Remember to go see a chiropractor after having an accident even if you don't feel pain. 

It's difficult to know as a parent if there is trauma in a kid

Be safe and bring your child to get evaluated. Remember that the fact that you are ok and they seem fine doesn’t mean they truly are. Even things like whiplash (an abrupt flexion and extension of the cervical spine), may not seem as painful or serious at the beginning. However, they can lead to serious surgeries and other consequences.

If your child can talk please ask them about how they feel and make sure they relate their symptoms and version of what happened to the doctor. If they don’t, additional tests may be needed to ensure the child is ok. It is on these occasions that it can be harder to find out what’s wrong due to their poor communication skills and vocabulary.

You may read more about this in our article on the matter.

How much time do I have to go to a specialist after the accident?

After you have a car accident you have 14 days to see a specialist. The state of Florida established14 days as the timeframe for you to go to a specialist after the incident. You don’t have to go to the emergency room. You can set up an appointment with the specialist a day or two after and they will set you up with the MRIs, X-rays and other tests necessary.

Seeing a chiropractor may strengthen your claim if you decide to go to court. They are able to provide documentation to support your case. If you are on a tight schedule and don’t know who can take your case ask them. They are usually well connected and can help you get the right attorney and work with them to make sure they have everything they need to support your case.

Read more about Florida State law on how much time you have to go to a specialist after a car accident.

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The Spine and Rehab Centers team thanks you for taking your time in sending us these questions. We want to make sure we continue to provide you with thoughtful and valuable information. So, please continue to send them our way and we will do our best to continue to respond.

If you have any additional questions about our services, you may contact us by clicking here. Our phone number is 407-802-4476 and our offices are in Lake Mary and Lee Vista. You may find directions on how to get there here. And for more information on our services, please don’t hesitate to visit our website.