Automobile Accidents and Whiplash Injuries

If you or someone you know has been involved in an auto accident you may be suffering from whiplash, neck pain, back pain, headaches or other symptoms. Even apparent minor accidents may cause symptoms to begin up to six months after the accident. It's estimated that up to 60% of people will continue to experience symptoms 10 years after an accident unless corrected. So don't hesitate, get checked by someone who knows what to check for.

Call 618-281-6167

FACTS
Insurance covers the cost of any Chiropractic care required. No permission or referral is needed from your insurance adjustor or your medical doctor. We will file insurance for you and work with your attorney if you need one. The latest research and scientific studies state that Chiropractors have the highest patient satisfaction and are the most effective in providing quick relief and correcting the cause of injuries following an auto accident. Experience Counts! We have cared for over 2000 auto accident cases, and would love to take care of you. So call us first - 24 hours a day/7 days a week!

Pain from auto accidents can linger for years, if it's cause is not corrected. Studies show that 60% of people who have been involved in an auto accident continue to suffer pain 10 years after the accident so, we take these injuries seriously and you should too.

Almost all Americans will be involved in at least one motor vehicle accident at some time in their life. Often we are able to walk away free of injury...or so we may think. Learn about the little noticed symptoms that can result in permanent pain and discomfort if their cause is not corrected.

Injuries that result, from a motor vehicle accident, are often misunderstood. Frequently, the pain or other symptoms of the injury are not apparent at the time of the accident. In fact, some injuries are hidden so well, they may be missed by emergency room technicians and could take weeks, months, and even years before actual symptoms show.

The amount of damage to the car does not depict the amount of injury sustained by the victim. Studies indicate that injuries can occur at impact speeds of 5 mph where there is little or even no damage to the car. Today's cars absorb much of the impact in the bumper, but transmit this energy from impact to the person's head and neck in much the same fashion as when one pool ball hits another.

The most common symptoms of a whiplash injury are pain or stiffness in the neck and shoulder, recurring headaches, numbness in the arms and fingers, irritability, lower back pain, and dizziness.  Few people realize that an untreated neck or back injury from a car accident is likely to develop into degeneration of the joints in later years adding more pain and debilitation to the situation.

SYMPTOMS OF WHIPLASH INJURY

A whiplash injury happens when a person's head is suddenly snapped forward, then backward in a rear end collision, or side to side in a side impact accident or even backward and then forward in a head-on collision. The initial symptoms of whiplash are usually headaches, stiffness, neck pain and low back pain. These symptoms may begin right after an accident, several days after an accident or may even begin 6 months after an accident, because of instability created or even microscopic tears and slow bleeds in the spinal cord itself. Blurred vision and tingling sensations in the arms and shoulders are also often caused by irritation to the nerves, caused by even a slight misalignment of the vertebrae in the neck. Almost every person involved in an automobile accident suffers some degree of whiplash injury, and the worse thing that you can do is have an attitude of, it's minor and it will just go away and I will just take pain killers until it does.

Although auto accidents are the most common cause of whiplash, many other kinds of accidents can create severe stresses on the neck also causing lash type of injuries. Sudden falls, bumps on the head or a shove from behind can cause rapid motion of the neck. For these reasons, it is important to visit our office immediately after any incident that might injure the neck. Through careful examination and gentle corrective adjustments if needed, we can help you heal the inflammation to nerve tissues and avoid serious neck problems later.

Dr. Laurie  and Dr. Heather Mestdagh are trained in locating and correcting structural damage, that is often the result of an overlooked motor vehicle accident, having cared for over 1000 such cases from minor fender-bender accidents to severe multiple fracture types of traumas.

If you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, or are experiencing any of the symptoms described in this article call Mestdagh Chiropractic at (618) 281-6167 for an appointment.