5 Things You Should Know About Soft Injury After A Car Accident

1. The amount of damage to your car does not always equate to the amount of damage to your spine. Despite what your insurance company tells you, many times, minimal damage to your car from a crash can still cause major damage to your spine. It all depends on the physics of the crash. Meaning, if the cars are moving, at rest, the surface (i.e. rain or ice) and/or the position of your body during impact. If the forces of the crash are not absorbed by the car (i.e., minimal damage) then they are absorbed by the person or persons in the car.
2. Early intervention. Your body will start healing itself immediately. Modern rehabilitative techniques in chiropractic and physical therapy can help reduce the effect of soft tissue injuries. The sooner you start therapy the quicker the healing. It is very important to address the symptoms of a whiplash injury with a top chiropractor or medical care provider as quickly as possible.
3. Mechanics versus Medicine. Whiplash, also known as cervical acceleration-deceleration injury, is a mechanical occurrence. The forces involved in a car accident are much greater than our muscles can resist. This often results in a deep soreness due to ligamentous injury. Treating the symptoms with medicine (i.e. painkillers and anti-inflammatories) can inhibit the body’s natural ability to begin the healing process. Addressing the mechanical cause, along with early intervention, results in much better long term results.
4. Whiplash injury can lead to early disc degeneration. Studies show that whiplash injuries can lead to early degenerative conditions such as degenerative disc disease, degenerative joint disease and osteoarthritis. Joints, discs and the entire body function best when moving. Whiplash injuries not addressed early or as mechanical problems of the spine often result in stagnation of movement in the spine. This inhibited movement of the spine leads to early degenerative processes of discs, ligaments, muscles and bones.
5. Healing takes time. We are accustomed to a quick fix and the truth is the only thing you get is quick and no fix. Imagine how much damage it creates if you were to get hit by a professional football player (200 lbs or more). Small cars weight 2000 lbs-that’s ten times more force of a professional football player. We must be patient and understand that full healing of an injury of this magnitude takes time. Please note, there should consistent improvement throughout a course of treatment regardless of the type of intervention. If healing is not occurring, further testing or a different approach may be warranted.

Our bodies were not designed to handle these types of impacts. This is why it’s so important to receive early intervention that addresses the mechanical injury.

Thanks to our friend and author Dr. Bryan Paris for is insight into soft tissue injuries as a wellness expert at Advanced Spine & Wellness Center.