Life is full of accidents that can bring serious injury, whether it is an auto accident, sports mishap, slip and fall, or other unintended movements. The total effects of each of these injuries might not be felt right away, even though there may be initial pain.
Joint pain, back pain, strains and tears of tendons and ligaments, or hyperextension of muscles can leave you with chronic pain that robs you of quality of life. One small part of the body going out of balance can affect your health in major ways. Therefore, it is imperative that you seek treatment immediately after the injury to begin a treatment program to address the root causes of the problem.
Types of personal injury
- Joint damage- No matter the type of accident, you may be suffering from joint pain caused by internal damage to the tissues making up the joint.
Ligaments and tendons could be streamlined or torn, cartilage ripped or displaced, or other tissue damage to the muscle systems within the joint, causing inflammation that puts pressure on nerves. Particularly in the shoulder, knees, and hips, these types of pain can make any type of movement almost impossible.
- Neck and back pain- Whiplash after an auto accident can be tricky to diagnose. The full extent of the injury might not be felt until days after the accident.
Muscle strains to the back or damage to the discs that cushion the vertebrae bring more immediate pain because the nerves receive the pain impulses from the damaged tissue immediately.
If the cartilage between the discs slips or is torn, the resulting neuropathy can affect the extremities as well.
These and other chronic conditions related to injury of the musculoskeletal system can leave you feeling like the only relief is through pain medicine or surgery, but there are other alternatives.
How chiropractic care can relieve the pain of personal injury
When you first visit a chiropractic office, you will be given a thorough examination, not just of the injured area, because the chiropractor understands that your body is a complex system working in balance.
Once the body is out of alignment, only by restoring this balance can you find true relief of the root causes of the pain. The physical exam may end up targeting the precise area of your body needing adjustment after the injury.
When it is determined that the problem is one that can be remedied by an adjustment and is not a more serious case of a tear or other internal tissue damage, the chiropractor can immediately apply targeted adjustments to restore the body’s natural balance.
Beyond chiropractic adjustments, the doctor may also be able to prescribe other non-invasive procedures and therapies that can bring relief without harsh medications or extensive recovery times.